1 Anipa 16/1
2 Secret Pursuit 16/1
3 Bright Approach 5/2
9 ran Distances: ½l, 1½l, 3¼l
TIME 2m 25.48s (slow by 2.68s)

Anipa caused a minor upset in the Weatherbys Private Banking Cheshire Oaks at Chester when continuing her progression with a hard-grafting success.

Anipa
© Racehorse Photos

Coming in off the back of two previous wins, Roger Varian's filly was nibbled at in the market but was still sent off at 16-1.

Oisin Murphy tried to nick it from the front on Secret Pursuit and had everything else in trouble, but Andrea Atzeni was aware of his move and asserted in the shadow of the post, scoring by half a length.

Bright Approach got going late in third, a further length and a half away, while Aidan O'Brien's well-fancied Terrific was well beaten.

The winner is not in the Oaks at Epsom and would need to be supplemented.

Varian said: "She's a tough filly who keeps improving and having won at Windsor we thought she'd handle the track, which is why we came here. She isn't the biggest, but she's got a big heart and I think the step up in trip helped her.

"On ratings, she had to step up on what she had done previously and there were some very interesting unexposed types in the race. I thought her price reflected her chance beforehand. We were hoping to finish in the first three and I'm delighted she's won.

"At this stage, we wouldn't commit (to an Oaks run). We'll see how she comes out of the race. She does keep improving and surprising us a little bit, which is nice. She seems to handle these quirky tracks well, she won at Windsor and skipped round here.

"We will see, we'll get her back. I would think the Ribblesdale Stakes is the race to go for. Mr Bizakov (owner) is here and obviously I'll have a discussion with him, but I think the Ribblesdale is the likelihood (rather than Epsom). I'd be surprised if she was supplemented at this stage, but we'll have a discussion."

Atzeni said: "She's improved a lot from winning a little maiden at Wolverhampton to a handicap at Windsor to a race like today.

"She's not very big, but is tough. I got a lovely run around and she quickened up well. For a small filly she's very tough. She travelled and quckened when I wanted to. Everything worked out well, so it's good."

Weatherbys Private Banking Cheshire Oaks
(Robert Sangster Memorial Cup) (Fillies' Listed)
£40,000 added, 3yo only, 1m 3f 79y, Class 1
9 ran
Going: Good