Althiqa Bolts Up In Group 2 Cape Verdi at Meydan
Althiqa put in a storming finish at Meydan yesterday to triumph in the Gr.2 Cape Verdi presented by Longines , recording her biggest career victory to date. Godolphin’s homebred daughter of Dark Angel was a classy performer last year, after breaking her maiden on her sole start at two. Last season she made an impressive seasonal winning return at Newmarket in June and went on to win the Listed Prix Amandine at Deauville, before being placed three times at Gr.3 level at Goodwood, Deauville and Doncaster.
In yesterday’s Gr.2 turf contest, the Gr.3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes winner Summer Romance was soon in a lead of a couple of lengths over Stunning Beauty, with Silent Night and Stylistique also in touch. Summer Romance continued to lead into the home straight, but was soon swamped by challengers, with Althiqa going best of all down the outside. As she hit the front, she briefly came close to Stylistique and Summer Romance but went clear in a matter of strides to give Charlie Appleby his third consecutive victory in the race. Stylistique stayed on for second, two and a quarter lengths behind the winner, with Dubai Love a further length away in third. The winner is a daughter of the Listed Boadicea Stakes winner Mistrusting (Shamardal), herself a daughter of the Gr.2 Cherry Hinton Stakes winner Misheer (Oasis Dream).
