Sacred Angel Makes All In Gr.3 Princess Margaret Stakes
Charlie Johnston saddled his first Group winner since taking over the licence from his father Mark when Sacred Angel made every yard in the Gr.3 Princess Margaret Stakes at Ascot on Saturday. The daughter of Dark Angel was sharply away from stall one and set an even gallop, with Elinor Dashwood and Symbology closest to her. Shaken up coming into the final two furlongs, there did not appear to be much coming from the pack to challenge her. Pretty Crystal made a good fist of it, but Sacred Angel kicked again a furlong out and won by three lengths. Pretty Crystal was second, a length and a quarter ahead of Symbology. Sacred Angel was third on her debut at Pontefract in June and won a fillies’ maiden at Newmarket a little over two weeks ago, after which she was bought by Nurlan Bizakov.
Bred by Yeomanstown Stud, the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale graduate is out of the Listed Tipperary Stakes winner Sacred
Aspect, from the family of the Gr.1 Prix de l’Abbaye heroine The Platinum Queen and Gr.1 International Stakes winner Arabian Queen. Yeomanstown Stud will offer a full-sister to Sacred Angel at Goffs Premier Sale later this month catalogued as lot 160.
Progressive Alfaila Makes It Four On The Bounce
Not only did Owen Burrows saddle the winner of the feature race of the day at Ascot on Saturday, but he also had the winner of the feature at York, thanks to Alflaila, who defied a nine month break to run out a stylish winner of the Gr.2 York Stakes. Jockey Andrea Atzeni, soon bound for Hong Kong, did not hesitate to drop the son of Dark Angel out towards the rear of the field early on, following on from the same tactics that saw the Shadwell homebred pick up three Stakes races last year. As the Irish challenger Mashhoor led at a steady pace, it looked as if Alflaila may have his work cut out to pass his four rivals in the straight. However, as the leader weakened out of contention in the final two furlongs, last month’s Listed Wolferton Stakes winner and eventual third in this race Royal Champion swept to the front, but was soon joined and passed by both the even-money favourite My Prospero on the far side, and Alflaila on the near side. Atzeni’s mount showed a smart turn of foot get to the front quickly and he kept on to win by half a length. Stepping up to 1m2f for the first time, he saw out the trip well and was landing the biggest race of his career so far, having followed his maiden black-type victory in July last year with two wins at Gr.3 level. Having now won four on the spin, connections will now undoubtedly have Gr.1 aspirations for the progressive colt. He is a half-brother to the dual winner Mejthaam, the only other runner out of the Listed-placed winner.
