SIR MICHAEL STOUTE’S decision to keep Crystal Capella in training appears a wise one following the mare’s victory in the Princess of Wales’s sportingbet.com Stakes at Newmarket yesterday.

Stoute was claiming his eighth win in the Group Two contest and despite being six now, Crystal Capella proved she is as good as ever.

A dual winner of the Pride Stakes, Crystal Capella is lightly raced for her age having ran just 13 times before in four seasons.

And sent off at 4-1 yesterday she built on the promise of her defeat on her seasonal reappearance at Haydock with an excellent success.

She came home eight lengths clear of the 2-1 favourite Redwood to become the first of her sex to win the race since since Height Of Fashion in 1982.

Stoute said: “It was a terrific performance. After she beat Dar Re Mi at York in 2009 (Middleton Stakes) she popped a splint which kept on getting bigger.

“She did the same thing last year, so it’s pretty sporting the owners kept her in training.

“She showed in the Pride Stakes last year that she’s as good as ever and today was very thrilling.

“She’s in the Yorkshire Oaks, but she’s well entered up and that race is some way away.”

Meanwhile John Gosis still to decide if ante-post favourite Nathaniel will line-up in the Ladbrokes St Leger, the trainer will definitely send Bahrain Trophy winner Masked Marvel for the Doncaster Classic.

Gosden has won the final Classic of the season twice in the last four seasons and seems to hold two real chances of another success.

Nathaniel heads the betting at the best-priced 4-1 with Blue Square after winning the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot. But Masked Marvel, who finished down the field in the Investec Derby, staked his claim for Classic glory after winning by a head form Census under Jimmy Fortune yesterday.

Masked Marvel is a best-priced 16-1 with most firms for the Leger. And Gosden said: “We’ll probably go straight for the Leger – he’s done plenty this year. There is no point carrying a penalty in the Gordon Stakes and you can have a hard race in the Great Voltigeur. He might have a racecourse gallop near the time, but I’d like to keep him fresh.”

On Nathaniel, Gosden added: “If it keeps raining he’ll run next week in the Grand Prix de Paris, otherwise we’ll have to see what we do. I’ll have to see (about the Leger). It is two months off.”