Dubai: Despite some of the more forward three-year-olds delivering emphatic performances on the final day of Newbury's Spring Trials meeting, sponsored by Dubai Duty Free, there were no notable shake-ups in the betting markets for the forthcoming British Classics.
Frankel's full-brother Noble Mission, who holds entries for both the Dante Stakes and the Epsom Derby, was a smart winner of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships Maiden Stakes, while Moonstone Magic was equally impressive in taking the Group 3 Dubai Duty Free Stakes for three-year-old fillies.
Making only his second career visit to a racecourse since winning his debut last October, Noble Mission, a handsome colt by Galileo, justified the time he has been given by trainer Henry Cecil to come to himself when stretching out in the final furlongs for a three-and-a-half-length victory in the 1,600m contest.
Dream Tune, owned by Shaikh Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, who also holds entries in the Dante and Derby, stayed on well to grab second for trainer Clive Cox, while Roger Charlton's Captain Cat was third, a further five lengths behind.
British bookmaker Sky Bet cut the winner to 25/1 from 40 for the Epsom Classic on June 2
Cecil was clearly impressed with what he saw and said: "For a mile and a quarter horse that was a good performance. I wanted to start him over a mile on this ground, and he's won very nicely. I don't want to say anything silly, so I will just feel my way at the moment."
Unbeaten record
Explaining the choice of a hood that Noble Mission wore Cecil added: I've had them handmade in the Czech Republic, they have got foam rubber in the ears and I used them on three fillies last year that were a bit scatty.
"He won't have to wear it all the time because he is getting more relaxed."
Moonstone Magic maintained her unbeaten record with a decisive three-and-three-quarter-lengths victory in the Dubai Duty Free Stakes, which is a recognised trial for the 1,000 Guineas on May 6.
Ralph Beckett's filly, who totally annihilated her rivals when winning her maiden at Leicester maiden earlier this month by eight lengths, turned on the style once again score from Ed McMahon's Radio Gaga, while Becket's second runner Electrelane, was a further nine lengths back in third.
"She was too big to run last year and her dam [Woodcock Moon] had such bad knees I never even ran her," said the Whitsbury trainer. "She needs some give in the ground. She's not in anything but she'll have to run in a Guineas — maybe the Irish will be most suitable."
The Group 3 Greenham Stakes, which super-horse Frankel won last year en route to dominating the 2,000 Guineas, fell to the highly-regarded Caspar Netscher.
A winner of the Gimcrack and Mill Reef during his juvenile career where he had ten starts for three wins, Alan McCabe's colt put in a gallant effort under Shane Kelly to score by a length from Boomerang Bob, ridden by Seb Sanders, while Bronterre, was a length and three quarters back in third for Ryan Moore.
Sky Bet slashed the winner's odds from 50 to 25/1 for next month's 2,000 Guineas.
Earlier in the afternoon Harris Tweed made every step count to win the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Stakes.
