LADY IN WAITING

NEWSBOY'S 1-2-3 1 LADY VIVIAN 2 RAINBOWS EDGE 3 AEOLIAN

- 

LADY VIVIAN didn't shine at Royal Ascot ~ but it’s too early to be writing her off.

Too green to do herself justice at Lingfield last November on her racecourse debut, Ralph Beckett's daughter of Camelot finished a return-to-action second at Southwell in February before going one better at the Rolleston course a month later.

That earned Lady Vivian a British Horseracing Authority mark of 80 and she proved ahead of that assessment at Chester's May meeting, making all the running to hold Way Of Stars by one length.

Wathnan Racing then recruited her for Royal Ascot and Lady Vivian took on 10 rivals for the Group Two Ribblesdale Stakes.

Sent off at 11-1, James Doyle's partner came home a so-so seventh, unable to land a blow in the straight and beaten just over seven lengths, behind Garden Of Eden.

But there are reasons to expect a more prominent showing today from a filly far from fully exposed.