Set to music is a sweet winner for the Queen

With Royal Ascot starting next day, all eyes were on The Queen’s Set To Music in the big race of the evening, the Voute Sales Warwickshire Oaks (Listed Race) won last year by Timepiece. Trained by Michael Bell in Newmarket, Set To Music won four times last summer and was a close second at Haydock Park last time out,

Although she came into the race in good form, Set To Music drifted in the betting in the face of support for Mid Mon Lady but, in the end, was sent off the 6-4 favourite to see off her five rivals.

Having tracked early leader Dragonera, Set To Music was brought up the stands rail by Jamie Spencer to quickly assert and win with a bit in hand, adding to her value as a broodmare.

The runners were well strung out in the opening Racing UK Amateur Riders´ Handicap over an extended one and a half miles, as first Runaway Tiger and then Passato set a good gallop up front. Having taken up the running at halfway, Passato continued to forge ahead, coming home seven lengths clear of The Ducking Stool, with Adorabell the same distance away in third.

There was a disappointing turnout for the second, the Harper Fields Care Home - Balsall Common Median Auction Maiden Stakes, with only seven of the original 24 entries declared to run. The field was reduced further when Deepest Blue was announced as a non-runner and punters piled into Avec Rose with champion jockey Paul Hanagan on board to make a winning debut.

However, they soon knew their fate as Avec Rose was never travelling well and could only manage third place behind Knight Charm, who stepped up on his sixth at Newbury last month to win comfortably.

The biggest field of the evening lined up for the AON Hewitt Jubilee Handicap over six furlongs, but it turned into a procession as New Decade led into the straight and was never headed, running on well in the hands of Luke Morris to easily beat Seventeen Seventy and Big Sylv.

Eight went to post for the rewards4racing.com Handicap Stakes with Cuckoo Rock heading the market. Settled in third place by Lee Newman as Mistoffelees cut out the running, Cuckoo Rock led one and a half furlongs out, staying on well to deny Circle Of Angels and Climaxfortackle.

Just five lined up for the concluding Ali Campbell Live Here 21st August Handicap over seven furlongs and Barons Spy prevailed by a head from favourite My Kingdom to give Luke Morris a double on the night.

There is racing again at the course next Thursday (28th) with a six-race card starting at 2.10pm, the highlight of which is the Eternal Stakes (Listed Race) over seven furlongs.