15 May. GB. Totescoop6 Special Middleton S. G3. York. 10,4f. Turf. 50.000 £
1.- PROMISING LEAD (R.Moore)
2.- UNDER THE RAINBOW (N.Callan)
3.- FLYING CLARETS (P.Hanagan)


THEY were on opposite sides in the main feature but Dante-winning trainer Sir Michael Stoute and Twice Over's owner Khalid Abdullah teamed up in the chief supporting act to record the easiest victory of the day with Promising Lead.

Their progressively four-year-old filly, beaten just a head in a Group 1 at Longchamp on Arc day, was sent off 2-5 favourite for her drop to Group 3 company in the Totescoop6 Special Middleton Stakes and won very much as the market suggested.

She cruised to the front over a furlong out and was just pushed out by Ryan Moore to score by an easy three and a half lengths, to the delight of her watching owner.

"It's nice to win a Group 3 but she was just beaten agonisingly in the Prix de l'Opera last season and we are going to try to put that right this year," said Abdullah's racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe.

"She is in all the obvious races over a mile and a quarter and she will probably stay a mile and a half. She likes fast ground and the Pretty Polly Stakes in Ireland could be a race for her."