William Buick blooms on the July course as Desert Flower strikes on debut to set up champion jockey's four-timer

Desert Flower earned quotes for next year's 1,000 Guineas after initiating a four-timer for William Buick when scoring decisively from two more experienced fillies on her debut in the opening 7f fillies' maiden.

Buick expressed himself rather surprised by the manner of the victory of the daughter of Night Of Thunder, who has evidently come a long way in a short space of time at Charlie Appleby's Moulton Paddocks base.

The Godolphin trainer was winning the curtain-raiser for the fifth time in 11 years and has hopes the chestnut could make up into a candidate for something like the Group 2 May Hill Stakes at Doncaster in September.

After Desert Flower had caught front-runner Flight coming out of the Dip, Appleby said: "All credit to the team back home as only a couple of weeks ago she took an age to go into the stalls and then wouldn't come out of them.

"William sat on her recently and wasn't sure if she would win first time, but he came back just now and said he was surprised how she travelled into the race.

"She's a filly we could step up to a mile and work back from something like the May Hill."

Desert Flower was cut from 40-1 to 16-1 for the 1,000 Guineas by Unibet after the race and given an opening quote of 33-1 by Paddy Power for the Newmarket Classic.

The same combination were back on the winner's podium 70 minutes later when First Conquest landed the mile handicap for three-year-olds.

It was far from Dubai weather on the July course, but Appleby said: "He may be a horse that we take out for the Dubai Carnival. We'll have to see if we give him another run beforehand."

Ancient Truth then won the chief support feature, the Group 2 Superlative Stakes, before Buick racked up four on the card aboard Mill Stream in the July Cup.

Bunbury joy

Ian Williams was backing up Aalto just eight days after his previous run at Haydock, but you would not have known it judging by the way he swept to victory in the £100,000 Bunbury Cup.

The July Cup prelude had more pace on in the race than the main event itself, having been set by eventual runner-up Lethal Levi, who had no answer once Rossa Ryan asked for an effort in the Dip.

Aalto (Rossa Ryan) hits the front in the Bunbury CupCredit: Alan Crowhurst

The 15-2 chance was sourced from France and has already covered his purchase price for new part-owners Hugh and Clare James.

Williams said: "Fair play to Jamie Spencer, who said after he rode him last time that he had a big one in him but didn't know where or when. We may have a look at the International Stakes at Ascot after that."

First for Waterhouse

Australian training legend Gai Waterhouse had her colours carried to success for the first time outside the southern hemisphere when Asian Daze landed the 7f fillies' handicap under top weight

The 9-1 chance got first run on market leader Lou Lou's Gift and held on close home under Billy Loughnane.

Asian Daze (centre) fends off the challengers to win the fillies' handicapCredit: Alan Crowhurst

The winner is trained by Waterhouse's fellow Australian Jane Chapple-Hyam, for whom this was part of a masterplan first hatched before Royal Ascot.

Chapple-Hyam said: "She was bought by Gai at the Goffs sale before Royal Ascot with the plan to win with her and then send her to Gai.

"I'm thrilled to get the aquamarine colours on the board, and Asian Daze goes into quarantine now before being shipped out with the horses that were bought at the July sales this week."

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