Sugar spices up Sweet Solera for Johnson Houghton

Trained by Eve Johnson Houghton, the Newbury winner was sent off 11-1 in the hands of Charlie Bishop and flew home late to deny the Kevin Philippart De Foy-trained 6-4 favourite Nuit d’Eclair by half a length.

Johnson Houghton said: “We always knew she would appreciate going up in trip, she just had to relax during her races first. All she wants to do is please but it just means she does a bit too much early but now she has learned to relax and settle into her run and it’s great to see.

“I trained the dam (Alezan) for Mark (Middleton-Heath, owner-breeder) and it’s her first foal and she is by Mohaather who my mum bred, so I feel it is a home-bred and we’re chuffed. We always knew she was good but to win this is great.

“Mark was saying to me she needs a gap and I had to tell him to calm down as there was still another furlong. She showed a lovely turn of foot at the end didn’t she.”

With Group Three honours now secured, Sugar Yes Please could now try to land an even tastier prize before the season is out.

Johnson Houghton added: “We really wanted black type as it’s always important and who knows what we will do now as we have won our Group race.

“She’s still very weak and we’ll probably only give her one more run then see. She’s won one Group race but if she was to go on and get placed in a Group One then it’s adding even more value, so we’ll find a race and see.”

Johnson Houghton and Bishop’s day would quickly get even better when Eabha (15-2) provided the duo with a quick-fire double in the William Hill Epic Boost Nursery Handicap.

“I said to Charlie same again after the first and we knew both of them needed riding the same way,” said Johnson Houghton.

“She was heavily in season when she ran at Chepstow (on her penultimate start) and the form of that race has actually worked out well. It may have just been an off day anyway and horses are sensitive beings and are allowed to be not 100 per cent at their best all the time.

“Since then though she has improved and improved and improved.

“She won at Epsom last time and along with Chepstow it’s given her a great education. Today when she has hit the dip she’s gone ‘oh I know what this is all about’.

“We’ll probably look at some more nurseries and there is one back here next week if it’s not too quick. We might also try to nick some black type later in the year.”