Sands Of Mali’s Sunlit Uplands Lights Up Hamburg With Group 3 Success
Newmarket trainer Stuart Williams’s journey to Hamburg yesterday was well worthwhile courtesy of Sunlit Uplands running out a ready winner of the 1600m Gr.3 Hamburger Stuten Meile. The daughter of Sands Of Mali was recording a maiden Group success in the process for her owners Rachel Flynn and former trainer Rae Guest.
Partnered to success by Marco Ghiani, Sunlit Uplands was drawn widest of all and broke well from the gates. Her rider soon had her in a prominent position, which had been the theme throughout the afternoon at Hamburg, with most of the yesterday’s winners benefitting from a prominent position. It was Werner Haustein’s Tina Al Gunay who took them along until the nine-runner field had entered the home straight, at which point Ghiani asked Sunlit Uplands to quicken and she did so, immediately challenging for the lead.
Establishing a two-length advantage with 200m left to run, her nearest danger appeared to be the well-fancied French raider Fortuna Diamond, who began to make headway from the rear under Tony Piccone. However, that effort was relatively shortlived and Sunlit Uplands continued to sprint away on the run to the line, going further clear to record a comfortable three-length victory. Henri-Alex Pantall’s Fortuna
Diamond was given a bit too much to do from off the pace to finish second, whilst Peter Schiergen’s Mala Wyska filled third position, a further three-quarters of a length behind.
Sunlit Uplands shed her maiden tag on her second start as a two-year old and returned as a three-year-old an improved performer, winning twice in handicap company, before rounding out her season by narrowly missing out on black-type in the Listed Fleur de Lys Stakes behind James Fanshawe’s talented Group-winning filly Sky Safari.
