3 minute read
Gelding provides Dark Angel with 60th stakes winner
Having finished fifth in the Wolferton Stakes (Listed, 1m2f) at Royal Ascot last year, the Roger Varian-trained Mountain Angel (6 g ex Fanciful Dancer by Groom Dancer) grabbed a much deserved stakes race victory in this year’s edition of the Listed race and in the process provided Dark Angel (Acclamation) with his 60th stakes winner.
Ridden by James Doyle, who was bringing up his third winner of the week, the gelding stayed on all the way to line to beat a fast-finishing Sir Dragonet (Camelot) by two and a quarter lengths with another half a length back to Regal Reality (Intello) in third.
"Mountain Angel had everything in his favour. He is a good horse fresh - he has shown that over the years. He gets the trip well, loves a bit of dig in the ground and trained well at home,” said trainer Roger Varian.
"Mountain Angel ran well in the race last year [finished fifth] after getting shuffled back early from stall one. It was probably a slightly stronger renewal last year, but he has run well today. I am delighted for the owner [Ziad A Galadari] who has been very supportive of me and very patient with this horse. A big thanks to the team at home who have been doing a great job over the last few months.
"Mountain Angel is a horse who probably doesn't need over-racing. We took him to Bahrain [Bahrain International Trophy, finished 13th] on a fact-finding mission last autumn to see if he would be an international horse, but he just didn't like that firm ground.
"I think we will bide our time with him, as he ran well in a couple of Group races last autumn and I think we will follow a similar programme. I think he will deliver when things are in his favour.
"He was placed in a Prix Dollar last year and on the back of that, I think he has a Group race in him.
"Prince Eiji [finished fourth] ran a great race and probably just didn't quite get home."
Bred by Yeomanstown Stud and sold for 100,000gns at the 2015 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 2, the gelding is out of the unraced mare Fanciful Dancer (Groom Dancer), making him a brother to Listed winner and Grade 1 placed gelding Fanciful Angel and a further two winners.
Fanciful Dancer is a half-sister to the dam of Listed-winning duo Distantly Dancer (Distinctly North) and Evening Time (Keltos) and the dam of Group 3 winners Titus Shadow (Titus Livius) and Orpen Shadow (Choisir).
Dark Angel stands at Yeomanstown Stud in Ireland where his 2020 fee was set at €85,000. His stakes winners are headed by seven Group 1 winners including his July Cup (Gr 1, 6f) and Sprint Cup (Gr 1, 5f) winning son Harry Angel who will stand his second season at Darley Kelvinside this year where he will stand for $16,500 (inc GST).
Mountain Angel flies to the summit, winning the Wolferton Stakes at @Ascot@the_doyler has picked up where he left off yesterday
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 18, 2020
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