'She's more than paid for herself' - ultra-consistent Adaay In Devon strikes for Rod Millman in Scurry Stakes

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Adaay In Devon showed precisely why she has managed to win almost half of her starts when sticking her neck out to narrowly claim the Listed Scurry Stakes.

The three-year-old has been a model of consistency for trainer Rod Millman, winning seven times and finishing outside the top two only four times in 15 races. This was her second success at Listed level and she was made to work for it by Flora Of Bermuda, who was receiving 3lb and pushed her all the way to the line.

"The second is a good horse and I thought she did well to give her 3lb," said Millman. "I thought we might get caught in the closing stages. She's very easy to train, a good-tempered filly, and she's still growing. We could have gone to the Commonwealth Cup at Ascot but she'd have had to run a blinder just to finish fifth or sixth.

"I put her in the five-furlong handicap on Friday in case she was beaten today but she won't go now she's got a penalty. We'll stick to the fillies' black-type races this year and we could step her back up to seven furlongs. I expect she'll stay in England for now but she could go abroad next year. She's more than paid for herself."

After winning four starts at two, Adaay In Devon has kicked on again this season. She finished second behind Jasour in the Group 3 Commonwealth Cup Trial at Ascot in May before coming home in third in the Listed Carnarvon Stakes at Newbury behind Elite Status, who is a general 7-1 for the Commonwealth Cup.

"She's very genuine and gets further than five furlongs," said jockey Silvestre de Sousa, shortly after Adaay In Devon had been clapped out of the winner's enclosure by members of the Horniwinks Racing Syndicate. "She got her head in front quite nicely and always gives me 100 per cent every time I ride her."

Bargain buy

Prague produced a scintillating performance to land the 1m2f maiden and suggest the 10,000gns paid for the four-year-old could prove to be money well spent.

Formerly trained by Aidan O'Brien, Prague was bought from Coolmore at last year's Autumn Horses In Training Sale by Dylan Cunha's head lad Amedeo Dal Pos.

The son of Galileo broke quickly and was ridden prominently before stretching four lengths clear of the John and Thady Gosden-trained Mutaawid to win at 40-1. 

"He was in the sale at the end of the year and we bought him for ten grand," said Cunha. "I don't know how good he could be because he's not done much at home really. I've only been training horses who cost five and ten grand, and winning with one formerly trained by Aidan O'Brien proves what we can do with good horses.

"He's a big colt and we've just taken our time with him. The best thing about it is he's owned by our head lad, who walked around the sale for days before eventually finding him. It means he's the best looked after horse in the yard."

Four in a row

A return to the turf was described as a "bit of an unknown" for Prince Eric but he took it in his stride when recording his four-timer in the 1m1f handicap.

The three-year-old, winless in three turf starts at two, has won three times on the all-weather this year and extended his winning run when scoring by a length.

Prince Eric (William Buick): winner of the 1m1f handicap at SandownCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

"That was fairly impressive," said trainer James Ferguson. "He's a lovely horse, a real gentleman, and now he's won four in a row. We gave him a nice break after his last run at Southwell and his first run back on the turf was a bit of an unknown, but he stuck his head out well and William Buick was very keen on him afterwards.

"He couldn't have done it much better and we're really looking forward to his future. We'll see what the handicapper does. He's won that carrying bottom weight, which has helped him out a bit. He'll step up in trip and William said he enjoyed getting his toe in the ground."

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