Sweet Selection cut for Gold Cup after first Group win

What a difference 12 months makes. Last April Sweet Selection started off her season by finishing fourth in a 0-75, 1m6f handicap at Goodwood. This year she landed her first Group success in the Sagaro Stakes when beating Prince Of Arran and stablemate Nearly Caught.

Trainer Hughie Morrison, who was winning the race for the third time after a brace of victories with Alcazar in 2003 and 2005, had also declared Vent De Force but scratched him on account of the quick ground. However, the winner's work last week did cause some consternation as to whether she should run.

"She worked last Friday and we wondered about running her," Morrison said. "But she's obviously come back bigger, stronger and better. She was in the right place at the right time, but she picked up like she's never picked up before in a race."

With Marmelo claiming a valuable prize at Chantilly last weekend, Morrison has strength in depth in the division, and added: "They are all fantastic horses and we're very lucky to have all these great stayers who don't cost much."

Owner Paul Brocklehurst paid 22,000gns at the sales for Sweet Selection in 2015, and she has already handsomely repaid that outlay, with her next target the Gold Cup, for which she is a top-priced 20-1.

"We'll go for the Gold Cup now," Morrison added. "I'd like to keep them apart sometimes as we've got four decent stayers. Nearly Caught could run in the Henry II, and he's also in a race in Germany on Sunday week."

Jockey Silvestre de Sousa was completing a 662-1 treble, and five of his last six rides have obliged.

Charlie Fellowes is hoping runner-up Prince Of Arran will be taking him to more big races, and said: "He definitely stayed so we'll see about the Gold Cup. We've always thought very highly of him and that will have given him so much confidence, which is very important to him."

For last year's St Leger winner Harbour Law, the race did not go to plan, with the four-year-old coming home last of the seven runners.

However, the Gold Cup remains the plan as trainer Laura Mongan said: "There was no pace early and he likes a real stiff test. Maybe we will see a better horse next time. I don't think he'll go to York but the Gold Cup is still completely in our sights."

Result and analysis