Gretchen (pink) sees off Melodious and Asyad

 PICTURE: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Gretchen grinds her way to win in fillies’ St Leger

Report: Doncaster, Thursday 

DFS Park Hill Stakes (Group 2) 1m6½f, 3yo+ fillies and mares

GRETCHEN needed every yard to get the better of Melodious by a neck in a pulsating finish to a race known as the fillies’ St Leger, with Asyad half a length back in third.

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An impressive winner on debut, Gretchen was well held in Group 1 company at Royal Ascot and the Curragh but looked a stayer to follow when taking a Listed race at Newmarket last time over 1m4f, and as a half-sister to Irish St Leger winner Duncan, the step-up in trip looked a natural progression.

Robert Havlin partnered the John Gosden-trained filly and settled her wide in about fifth as Vive Ma Fille cut out the running under Joe Fanning.

It was Melodious who had the dream position up the rail for Silvestre de Sousa, and when she hit the front it looked as if the jockeys’ championship leader was going to cause another big-race upset for David Elsworth.

She saw off the challenges of the held-up Koora and of the Frankie Dettori-ridden Asyad, but Gretchen continued to find for pressure and wore down Melodious in the final strides to return the 5-1 winner.

‘Today was very much the day’

Gosden, who also trained Duncan, said of the Normandie Stud-owned and bred winner: “Gretchen showed a lot of courage as a mile and six takes a lot of getting here. It was always the plan to come here, it doesn’t always work out but today was very much the day for her.

“Other races will involve the colts or maybe we will freshen her up, see if she stays in training next year and then have a go at the Cup races when she is older and stronger as a four-year-old.”