Aryna Sabalenka admits she was left in tears having to watch Wimbledon last year during a ban on Russian and Belarusian players, but holds no expectations as she heads back to the All England Club.

Following last year’s ban due to the illegal invasion of Ukraine, Russian and Belarussian players will be able to play in next week’s showpiece tournament after Wimbledon organisers were heavily fined and threatened with further sanctions by tennis’ governing bodies.

Women’s number two Sabalenka will find herself in the spotlight once again, having opted out of some media obligations at the French Open citing mental health and well-being concerns following some terse exchanges with journalists.

Sabalenka made it clear ahead of a pre-tournament press conference held at Wimbledon on Saturday afternoon that she had no intentions of addressing the issues once again.

“Before we continue I would like to say I’m not going to talk about politics. I’m here to talk about tennis only. Please respect that,” Sabalenka said.

“If you have any kind of political questions, you can ask WTA or the tournament. They can send you the transcript of my answers from the previous tournaments.”

Sabalenka added: “It’s my personal decision.”

The world number two recalled how last year’s ban had been tough to endure.

“I was at home having a little vacation, then practicing, but, no, I didn’t watch Wimbledon a lot,” she said.

“I felt so bad and I just couldn’t watch it. Every time if Wimbledon would be on TV, I would cry, so I decided just to stay away from Wimbledon last year.

“I am always telling myself that the best I can do is focus on things I have control on. That is really helping a lot to not think about anything else on the tennis.”

Having enjoyed a run to the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2021, Sabalenka is hoping for another deep run in the tournament, which starts against Hungarian Panna Udvardy on Tuesday.

“I’m super emotional right now. I’m super happy to be back. I really miss this place,” she said.

“When I got here first time, I was just like enjoying (it). I couldn’t believe that I’m here.

“I’m feeling good. I don’t have any kind of expectations. The only one expectation I have is just to bring my best tennis every time I’m on the court, and hopefully I’ll do it.

“I only have hope that they (Wimbledon crowd) will support me as they did last year – hopefully.”

Sabalenka won her first Grand Slam at the Australian Open in January, but suffered a disappointing defeat to unseeded Czech Karolina Muchova in the semi-finals at Roland Garros.

“That was really tough, tough end of the tournament,” said Sabalenka, who only made it to the second round in Berlin.

“I was really disappointed with that loss, but then we spoke with my team. It was a good lesson for me.

“I just had few days off, and then start my preparation for the grass season.”

Godolphin may have had limited guns to fire in this season’s Classics, yet Charlie Appleby can start to look ahead to next season with Dance Sequence, who was foot-perfect on her debut in the Blandford Bloodstock Maiden Fillies’ Stakes at Newmarket.

The imposing daughter of Dubawi showed immense promise in seven-furlong contest under William Buick, settling the 5-6 favourite at the back of the field before powering home on the far rail to score by half a length from Upscale.

The victory margin did not do justice to her superiority and Paddy Power and Betfair installed her at 33-1 for the next season’s 1000 Guineas.

“The mindset, although she was favourite, sometimes you want to be nearer to the fore than at the back,” said Appleby.

“William and I both were in agreement, she is a filly for the future and ride her to do it the right way round.

“William just rode her with a lot of confidence. She was a bit green early doors anyway, and she wouldn’t have done very much of that at home to be fair to her.

“There will be a marked improvement from that. To come off the pace like that, you can probably mark that performance up a little bit more, so that was a pleasing debut.”

Race The Wind, the other Godolphin runner in the six-strong field, finished fourth in the contest.

Appleby added: “The other filly would have been more forward than this one, but the winner is the classier filly.

“I was pleased with the way she picked up to come off the pace there. She is a filly who will get the mile at the backend of the season, for sure.

“She has an intelligent head on her and plenty of scope.”

Asked whether she would be one of the better ones at Moulton Paddocks, he laughed: “We don’t know how high up she is in the pecking order – we have just started opening the box up!

“But, yes, she is one of the better ones. The attributes are there. She is a Dubawi, she’s got the scope, the pedigree and she has apparently got the engine, to date.

“There is a big step to go to the Guineas, but it’s a good start. She has a lovely attitude. You like them to do it like that – she’s learned plenty today and it is all very well winning by 10 lengths but you don’t learn very much.”

Former jump jockey Robert Thornton sports a beard these days – “It’s so no one can recognise me”, he quipped – and was on hand to see Buick record a treble on the card when Royal Charter took the Racing TV Fillies’ Handicap.

The William Haggas-trained three-year-old had showed up well at Haydock last time and stayed on stoutly to score by a neck from Chealamy as the 2-1 favourite.

Thornton, racing manager for Apple Tree Stud, who own the daughter of Expert Eye, said: “She has won two now and hopefully she is progressive, but we are just going to have to mind her because she is quite hot.

“We will look after her and let her progress. Small steps, with a view to looking at Listed races at the end of the season. Something like that would be Plan A.”

Following Audience’s success in the Group Three Criterion Stakes, John and Thady Gosden completed a double when Spring Fever romped to a five-lengths success in the Mr Adrian Austin Memorial Filles’ Handicap in the hands of Robert Havlin.

A winner on her handicap debut at Redcar, she was a fair runner-up at Salisbury and easily justified 8-15 favouritism.

Havlin said: “She got into a lovely rhythm and there was no pace, so I let her get on with it.

“She has got a good turn of foot and I was able to sit on her to the three (furlong marker) and she quickened up between the three and two and put it to bed.

“She seems to be improving and she likes summer ground as well.”

Adam Yates beat twin brother Simon to victory on the opening stage of the Tour de France to take the yellow jersey in Bilbao.

The pair, riding for rival teams, went clear from a select group at the top of the Cote de Pike towards the end of the lumpy opening 182km stage and opened up a gap on the descent back into town.

Having opened up a gap of 20 seconds on a chasing group, the brothers knew the fight was between themselves on the uphill sprint to the finish line and it was Adam who had the power to ride away at the very end, winning by four seconds to take yellow for the second time in his career.

Adam’s UAE Emirates team-mate Tadej Pogacar then led home a second group, also containing defending champion Jonas Vingegaard, 12 seconds later.

This opening stage through the Basque Country, one of the most difficult opening stages to a Tour in recent history, left itself open to a host of possibilities, with everyone from the general classification contenders to Classics specialists to strong sprinters tipped for victory.

It came down to the GC riders on the Pike, with Pogacar and Vingegaard coming to the fore towards the summit. But with neither wanting to work for the other, Jayco-Alula’s Simon Yates came around with Adam following and the pair slipped away.

Before the stage, Adam had played down suggestions from the team that he is a co-leader alongside Pogacar – whose form is uncertain following injury – but whether it was part of the plan or not, he can now celebrate his first career Tour stage win.

“Honestly, I don’t even know what to say,” Adam said. “We tried to set the climb up for Tadej, he attacked but then it was a headwind on the descent. My brother came across to me and we started to work together.

“At first I didn’t know if I should work with him, I asked on the radio and they said, ‘Go for it’. I’m speechless. I knew he was going good, I speak to him every day. My brother and I are close and to share this experience with him is really nice.

“I wish he would pull a bit easier because he almost dropped me at one moment but I’m just super happy.

“I had yellow a few years ago, the Covid year in 2020, which was also a special moment but really I just want to keep my feet on the ground. We’re here for Tadej, he’s the boss, he’s shown before he’s the best in the world and over the next few weeks I’m sure he’s going to show that again.”

Simon said cramps on the final climb had hampered his efforts to beat Adam to the line.

“There was a bit of cat and mouse over the top, and Adam rolled to the front,” he said. “He gave Pogacar the nod, sort of ‘Can I go? What’s the situation?’ and it was ‘Yeah, sure’ so he’s gone and I’ve gone across to him and that’s all she wrote.

“At first when he saw me coming across I think he was put in a difficult situation. He asked on the radio, ‘Should I wait or roll through?’ At first he wasn’t pulling but I kind of knew that anyway, I knew it was going to be tricky yet at the same time I had to take the opportunity.

“Normally on a finish like that I wouldn’t beat Pogacar or Vingegaard in a real fast sprint so to get away with Adam was maybe a chance. We’re pretty close normally but I had some cramps in the final.

“It was a humid day so unfortunately he got the better of me but I’m sure there are more chances coming.”

Mashhoor was the beneficiary of a fine ride from Ben Coen as he put his race-fitness to good use and made all to claim the Paddy Power International Stakes.

Johnny Murtagh’s five-year-old arrived at the Curragh in fine form having followed up a victory in a Cork handicap by securing Listed honours in the 12-furlong Orby Stakes at the Kildare track most recently.

However, he faced a stiff task dropping back to 10 furlongs for this Group Three assignment, with Joseph O’Brien’s Group One-winning Al Riffa the 5-6 market leader on his return from a 293-day absence and Aidan O’Brien’s Alfred Munnings another well-fancied runner following a layoff.

Coen was keen to make Mashhoor’s fitness and proven stamina count, and immediately sent his mount to the front as Al Riffa tracked the pace in second.

And that was how the pair remained for the rest of the contest, as Coen kept upping the pace and asking questions of those in behind.

Passing the two-furlong pole Dylan Browne McMonagle was pushing away on Al Riffa, while all the time Mashhoor just kept extending his advantage over the chasing pack and when Coen firmly put the foot down in the closing stages, the willing son of Kingman drew further clear to finish just shy of five lengths clear at the line.

Former Gaelic footballer Tommy Dowd is part of the syndicate that own the winner, and Murtagh said: “It’s really very special when Tommy Dowd comes to you in the parade ring and says ‘I’m more nervous now than I was on all-Ireland day’. I said ‘ah come on, sure we don’t have anything to do any more – it’s up to Ben now’.

“In fairness to the horse you have to say he has improved immensely. He picked up a little injury last year and I suppose it stood to him this year.

“He’s been very straightforward this year and the races have come for him at the right time.

“There was no pace today and I said to Ben to let him roll along. He’s a leader, he leads the string at home.

“I knew when they turned in that they weren’t going to get to him because he wouldn’t stop. He won over a mile and a half last time. It was a great ride.

“It’s great for a syndicate to rock up on Derby weekend and be competitive in a very competitive Group Three.

“You can see the enjoyment it gives people, racing has that.”

Max Verstappen accused Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez of pushing him off the road before going on to win Formula One’s sprint race in Austria.

Perez had to settle for second behind Verstappen with Carlos Sainz third for Ferrari.

Lando Norris started third but finished only ninth following a poor opening lap, while George Russell and Lewis Hamilton crossed the line in eighth and 10th respectively on an underwhelming day for Mercedes.

In damp conditions at the Red Bull Ring, pole-sitter Verstappen fell behind Perez as they blasted away from their marks.

Verstappen moved to his right on the run down to the opening corner, but Perez squeezed his way past to take the lead.

However, the Mexican ran wide on the exit of the first bend allowing Verstappen the opportunity of a slingshot back past on the straight.

Verstappen drew alongside his team-mate but ran out of room, briefly dropping two wheels on the grass.

“He pushed me off, man,” yelled Verstappen over the radio. “What the f***.”

On the long drag to the third bend, Verstappen still managed to maintain some momentum, launching an aggressive move down the inside of Perez at Turn 3.

Verstappen made the pass stick, running on deep into the corner, but Perez felt aggrieved by the move. “What is wrong with Max, man,” he said.

From there, Verstappen raced off into the distance, taking the chequered flag 21 sec clear of Perez.

Despite his commanding win, Verstappen, who extended his championship lead from 69 to 70 points, took aim at his team-mate again.

“That first corner was not really nice,” he said on his way back to the pits.

“It could have been a big shunt. We need to have a chat about that. For me it was not OK.”

Russell was the first driver to gamble for dry rubber in the changeable conditions. The British driver pulled in on lap 15 and was soon the speediest man on track.

Half of the 20-strong field took on slicks, too, but such was the advantage of the leading pack, that they were able to finish the race on the intermediate tyres.

However, Russell managed to fight his way back from last after his pit stop to take the final point.

Lance Stroll held off Aston Martin team-mate Fernando Alonso to finish fourth with Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg sixth.

Via Sistina led home a one-two for the British raiders when storming to a Group One triumph in the Yulong Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh.

Trained by George Boughey, the five-year-old arrived in Ireland having seen her impressive Newmarket win over Al Husn franked at Newcastle in the Hoppings Stakes, and the mount of Jamie Spencer was sent off the 6-4 favourite to give the Saffron House handler a first Irish win.

Spencer was in no rush aboard the progressive daughter of Fastnet Rock and had Via Sistina anchored alongside fellow raider, Hughie Morrison’s Stay Alert, in the early stages as Trevaunance and Above The Curve disputed matters at the head of proceedings.

There was little change in the order until the runners straightened for home, when both Ronan Whelan aboard Stay Alert and the big-race favourite began to plot a route to the front and it was Via Sistina who made the eyecatching progress when shown daylight by Spencer.

With energy to burn she was soon alongside Above The Curve disputing the lead with a furlong to run and although hanging right and causing interference to both the Rosscarbery and the eventual third Above The Curve in the process of making her challenge, she was full of running at the finish as she crossed the line with a two-length advantage over Stay Alert.

A stewards’ inquiry was called due to the interference in the aftermath, but the result remained unaltered as Spencer bagged Group One victories on successive Saturdays following last week’s shock success in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes aboard Khaadem.

He said: “I had a plan to jump smartly, get up behind Ryan (Moore, on Above The Curve) third or fourth. She didn’t jump and my first thing was to get out and don’t get stuck down the fence. I was on about Plan E at that stage.

“She leaned in a bit early in the straight and obviously halfway down the straight, but she was much the best. I only had to give her one flick and she had her ears pricked the last furlong.”

As well as a first winner in Ireland for Boughey, it was the first time Via Sistina has struck at the highest level and options look open with Coral going 3-1 from 7-1 for the Nassau Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, while Paddy Power gave quotes of 5-2 from 4-1 for Newmarket’s Falmouth Stakes and 10-1 for the Yorkshire Oaks.

Delighted owner Stephen Hillen said: “It doesn’t happen like that very often.

“That’s probably as fast a ground as she wants to run on. Jamie said they went really quick, he said he missed the break and was a bit far out of her ground.

“She’s that big she wears a rug for stalls entry and when you wear a rug they are always a bit slow away.

“He was a bit further back than he wanted to be, but he just said when she comes good she’s just much better than them.”

On plans, he said: “She’s very versatile, I think she can go a mile to a mile and a half. She likes going in a straight line as well so she could go to the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket.

“After that there is the Nassau and she’ll be in most of the big races. She’s in the Yorkshire Oaks and the International at York.

“You wouldn’t be risking her on anything with ‘firm’ in it.”

American Madison Keys defeated Russian Daria Kasatkina after a lengthy second-set tie-break to claim the Rothesay International title at Eastbourne.

Keys completed a 6-2 7-6 (13) victory in one hour and 42 minutes to secure the grass-court title for the second time, having also been champion in 2014.

The world number 25 had looked in command after coasting through the opening set and had then moved 4-1 ahead in the second following another early break.

However, ninth seed Kasatkina, the world number 11, rallied to break back, winning three straight games to level and then had the chance to force a third set at 6-5 up, but could not hold.

As the second set went into a tie-break, it was Keys who took the initiative, moving first 3-0 ahead and then 5-2, but, with the wind increasing, failed to convert three match point chances.

Kasatkina then had four set points of her own before Keys eventually got over the line, taking four of the last five points to secure a seventh WTA title.

The tie-break was the second-longest on the WTA Tour this year, after Petra Kvitova and Elena Rybakina played out over 30 points in the final of the Miami Open.

“I love coming and playing in Eastbourne. Being able to win the title here twice now makes me have very fond memories,” Keys said on the WTA Tour website.

“It has been a pretty tough year for me, and being able to hold this trophy is absolutely amazing.”

Keys is set to face British wildcard Sonay Kartal in the first round at Wimbledon on Tuesday, while Kasatkina, seeded 11 at the All England Club, faces American Caroline Dolehide on Monday.

Rain had interrupted the men’s draw on Friday.

Argentinian fourth seed Francisco Cerundolo returned to complete a comeback 2-6 7-5 6-2 victory over American Mackenzie McDonald.

World number 17 Tommy Paul then got his semi-final under way against Gregoire Barrere and swiftly saw off the unseeded Frenchman in straight sets, 6-4 6-3.

Paul reached his second tour-level final of the season, with the match against world number 19 Cerundolo to be played on Saturday afternoon.

Aidan O’Brien goes in search of his 100th European Classic as Auguste Rodin attempts to become the first horse since Harzand in 2016 to win at Epsom and follow up in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh.

The Deep Impact colt represents one of the Ballydoyle trainer’s greatest achievements as he brought him back from finishing almost last in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket to win the Derby in style at Epsom.

With runner-up King Of Steel winning the King Edward VII Stakes and Hong Kong-bound Derby sixth Waipiro taking the Hampton Court at Royal Ascot, Auguste Rodin’s form looks rock solid and he is understandably long odds-on to follow up.

“The Derby seems to be working out well, which is nice,” said O’Brien.

“We’re very happy with our horse, everything has gone well since Epsom and the Derby so we are looking forward to seeing him run again.

“It gave everybody a lot of satisfaction, what he did at Epsom, not just me. We always thought he could do something like that, but you can never be sure.

“Obviously the world was always thought of him and we were delighted that he could go and put that Guineas run behind him.”

O’Brien also runs Adelaide River, Covent Garden, Peking Opera and San Antonio, but they are all big prices behind Ryan Moore’s mount, who incredibly is still searching for a first Irish Derby winner.

In fourth place at Epsom was Jessica Harrington’s Sprewell, who may have finished slightly closer with a clearer run.

“He was unlucky at Epsom, he was in the right position at the right time but three fancied horses in front of him stopped dead for various reasons. He just got brought back and had nowhere to go,” said Harrington.

“There are always bad-luck stories at Epsom, but you’ve got to get over it and get on with the next race.

“He’s got a great attitude and if you’ve got an attitude like that it does help.

“He handled the ground great then, everyone said ‘he’s only a soft-ground horse’ but it wasn’t the fact that I wanted to run him on soft ground, it just happened that the races came up.”

Shane Foley has made it back from a broken collar bone in time to keep up the partnership.

John Murphy’s White Birch was one place ahead of Sprewell, having already won the Ballysax Stakes and finished second in the Dante.

“I was delighted with the run. I think he could have been a bit better as he starts his races quite slowly and then gallops very genuinely,” said Murphy.

“He’s a very sound horse, I don’t think he’s ever had a vet.

“He’s very genuine, but he doesn’t break well and I think he’ll get better as the race goes on.

“He’s lightly-raced still, there’s only so many times you can go to the well but he likes his racing and likes his work – every morning he has a great attitude.”

Joseph O’Brien’s Up And Under finished second to White Birch in the Ballysax and filled the same spot behind Sprewell in the Derby Trial at Leopardstown

“It looks a very good race as you’d expect. He has form line with some of the principals in the race and I think it is fair to assume he could run a good race,” said the trainer.

“Probably it would be wishful to say he could win, but we’re hoping for a good run and we’re looking forward to the race.

“It was a good run at Leopardstown behind Sprewell. He is out of a Galileo mare and we’ll be hopeful he will handle the better ground.

“I suppose when you see Sprewell’s run in the Derby, he really franked the form, so we have a nice horse for the future and we’re looking forward to that.”

John and Thady Gosden produced a nice training performance at Newmarket, as Audience caused a small shock at 14-1 in the Cavani Menswear Fashion Face-Off Frenzy Criterion Stakes.

Only Sam Maximus was sent off a bigger price than the Cheveley Park Stud-owned four-year-old for the Group Three contest, and he arrived at the July course following 263 days off the track.

Ridden by Robert Havlin, the son of Iffraaj led Berkshire Shadow and the 5-2 favourite Aldaary on the far side as the field of six split into two, with defending champion Pogo taking along Sam Maximus and recent John of Gaunt Stakes scorer Jumby on the near side.

The runners fanned out across the track as the business end of the race approached and it was Havlin aboard Audience who seized the initiative and kept the momentum up as he set about putting the race to bed out on his own in splendid isolation.

Audience never stopped as he kept on well inside the final furlong, with little separating Jumby and Pogo who were unable to reel in the winner and finished second and third respectively when making their challenge on the near side.

John Gosden said: “It is all down to Leah Mapston, who looks after him and rides him every day. She understands the horse and she is more to do with this horse winning than the trainer – and the jockey, of course. But she has done a wonderful job.

“He has got a lot of talent, he was not right in the spring, he went off behind and we couldn’t get him quite where we wanted him, but he’s come right for a lovely race like this.

“The hood helps him a lot. It is very useful for a horse like this, as he can live a little on the edge.

“He is in a race like the Lennox (Stakes, Goodwood), but I think he enjoyed this race today on a straight track. We’ll see. We will give him a couple of nice engagements. Ryan (Moore) rode him at Ascot last year and he said this horse has really got something, but he will need a little working out.

“Rab went up that far side this morning and it is completely fresh ground. That’s a little bit of knowing your track.

“Seven furlongs is very much his trip.”

Royal Ascot form will be put to the test at the Curragh on Sunday when Bucanero Fuerte attempts to build on his Coventry Stakes third in the GAIN Railway Stakes.

Adrian Murray’s improving colt finished only a length behind the winner River Tiber in what looked a high-class renewal of the Royal meeting’s opening-day contest and now returns to the scene of his impressive maiden victory at the beginning of the campaign in search of a first success in Pattern company.

This comes only 12 days after Bucanero Fuerte’s huge effort at Ascot, but Murray is hopeful the son of Wootton Bassett has recovered sufficiently to give owners Amo Racing a second win in the Group Two contest following the victory of Go Bears Go in 2021.

“We’re very happy with him and hoping for a nice run,” said Murray.

“The only slight concern would be the ground and I guess we wouldn’t mind a drop of rain. We’re hoping the race hasn’t come too quick, but at home he is well and he is telling us he wants to run.”

A win for Murray – who also saddles Lightening Army in the six-furlong event – would provide the Westmeath-based handler with his second big-race success in the space of two weeks following Valiant Force’s Royal Ascot triumph.

“We were happy with him at Ascot (in the Coventry) and he looks like a really nice horse,” continued Murray.

“Ascot was unbelievable and it will be hard to keep it going, but we will give it a try anyway and Bucanero Fuerte is in good form.”

Aidan O’Brien has a fine record in this race and has assembled a three-pronged assault, with Norfolk Stakes fourth His Majesty also returning to the track quickly following arun at the Royal meeting.

The son of No Nay Never brings plenty of solid track experience to the table, having won the Listed First Flier Stakes on debut before going down by half a length in the Marble Hill over course and distance.

“His Majesty is coming back quickly having run at Ascot,” said O’Brien. “He was drawn a little bit on the wrong side in the Norfolk on the day as the winner was on the other side, but he still ran well.

“He seems to be in good form, but of course he hasn’t done much.”

His Majesty is joined in the line-up by Unquestionable, who is the mount of Ryan Moore and followed up a third on debut behind his stablemate in the First Flier Stakes with an impressive track-and-trip romp next time, while Democracy also holds a course victory his name and completes the Ballydoyle-trained trio.

“Unquestionable won his maiden very nicely and we always thought that he would get further and he probably will,” said O’Brien.

“We’ve decided to give him the chance in a Group race over six furlongs before we step him up. Hopefully he’ll run a nice race.”

He added: “Democracy was stepped into a Group race last time out and was a little bit disappointing, but we think he was a little bit keen and just did a little bit too much that day.

“Hopefully he won’t do that again. We know he’s a horse who will stay further in time, but we thought it was worth giving him another chance over this trip in a Group race.”

Matrika confirmed herself out as filly of considerable talent when returning to home soil to claim the Airlie Stud Stakes in convincing fashion at the Curragh.

Aidan O’Brien’s daughter of No Nay Never was a course and distance winner on debut in late May and went on to be narrowly denied by Donnacha O’Brien’s Porta Fortuna when second in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot on just her second start.

Despite this coming only eight days after her huge Ascot effort, Matrika was sent off the 2-5 favourite and proved she was a cut above her opposition in this Group Two contest.

She led those who raced on the far side with the field splitting into two groups, before stretching clear in the hands of Ryan Moore inside the final furlong, as she registered a one-and-three-quarter length victory over the keeping-on Gunzburg.

“She has a great constitution and we were very happy with her,” said O’Brien.

“The first day she ran we were surprised because she’s very lazy at home, we didn’t really know what to expect but she won.

“Then she went to Ascot and ran a lovely race, but was a little green and babyish. Obviously she learned plenty from it again.

“She came out of the race, lost no weight. She doesn’t blow at all, it takes nothing out of her – she’s very natural. Ryan gave her a lovely ride.

“She’s not slow, she has plenty of speed. Obviously you’d hope that she might get seven, because she is very relaxed, but she is No Nay Never and they have a lot of natural speed and find it very easy to go very fast.”

Matrika was cut to 14-1 from 16s by Coral for next year’s 1000 Guineas with Betfair going even further and making her an 8-1 chance for the fillies’ Classic, but O’Brien is no rush to step her up in trip.

“We’ll stay at six for a while and if we have to step up to seven we will,” continued the Ballydoyle handler.

“I don’t want to be too easy on her because she has a big backside on her and I don’t want her to get too big. We’ll have to keep her going to a point.

“She’s a Group Two winner now and there are probably not too many places we’ll be able to go with her. You’d be hoping she’s going to be a Cheveley Park filly.”

Calling The Wind finally got his moment in the spotlight when swooping to take the JenningsBet Northumberland Plate glory at Newcastle.

Richard Hughes’ consistent seven-year-old has been an ever-present in staying contests – but the big prizes had proved elusive, placing at Royal Ascot for the third year in a row when second in the Ascot Stakes most recently.

Ridden by Neil Callan in the Gosforth Park feature, the in-form rider had his mount travelling kindly in midfield early on and the 14-1 shot showed he was none the worse for his Royal meeting exertions only 11 days ago when picking his way to the front with a furlong to run.

He was quickly joined at the head of affairs by ante-post gamble Golden Rules, but the Calling The Wind always had enough in reserve to hold off the 9-2 joint-favourite, coming home half a length clear to secure the victory connections have craved in a breezy north east.