Formal response just what Balding hoped for

Formal justified the promise she showed as a juvenile when streaking away with the Nyetimber Surrey Stakes at Epsom.

Winner of her first two starts for the now retired Sir Michael Stoute, she is now with Andrew Balding but disappointed first time out for her new yard in the Fred Darling at Newbury.

Supported into 9-4 joint-favouritism, Oisin Murphy tracked The Waco Kid until breezing to the front early in the straight, beating Saqqara Sands by a length and a half.

“I thought she ran well in the Fred Darling, but it was a funny race and she got impeded at a vital stage and didn’t give her true running,” said Balding.

“It made our decision easy and we skipped any idea of a Guineas and rebooted and this became the obvious choice. It’s a relief to see her win like that.

“She had been quite keen early doors at home and her work is very good at home, but we thought now she had the first run under her belt we would take the hood off. She travelled really strongly but didn’t over-race.”

He added: “I think we’ll probably wait for something like the Oak Tree (at Goodwood, July 30). I don’t think we want to be squeezing races into her and that looks the right spot. After that we know she goes well on slow ground so we would have the whole autumn ahead of us.

“She looked quite good there, but we will take it step by step.”