3 minute read
Daughter of Starspangledbanner returns gets back in the groove
Group 1 winning juvenile Millisle (3 f Starspangledbanner - Green Castle by Indian Ridge) landed her first race as a three-year-old as she made a triumphant return to the winner’s enclosure in the Ballyogan Stakes (Gr 3, 6f) at Naas on Wednesday.
The Jessica Harrington-trained daughter of Rosemont Stud shuttler Starspangledbanner (Choisir) had not saluted the judge since her Cheveley Park Stakes (Gr 1, 6f) victory as a two-year-old, but she signalled she was on the cusp of making a return to the winning groove when finishing second in the Lacken Stakes (Gr 3, 6f) on July 4.
After racing in second for much of the contest, Millisle under Shane Foley took up the lead at the half-way point and effortlessly pulled away to beat Pronouncement (Declaration Of War) by a decisive four lengths, while Lady Penelope (Night Of Thunder) finished another two and a half lengths away in third.
“She’s a very, very good filly,” said Foley. “She carried a five pound penalty here today. We trained her to see if she would get a mile all through the spring and early on in the year we wanted her to relax and hope she got the mile. Look, the Guineas was a non-event, but she has shown today that she is a comfortable high cruiser and finishes out her races well.
“We’ve reverted back to what she is best at and today she jumped, travelled like a high-class sprinter and she put the race to bed in a matter of strides. She is a good filly and I am glad she showed her two-year-old form here today.”
Bred and raced by Stonethorn Stud Farms, the filly is one of nine winners out of the placed Indian Ridge (Ahonoora) mare Green Castle, making her a half-sister to Listed scorer Ithoughtitwasover (Hurricane Run) and stakes-placed Greenisland (Fasliyev), who in turn produced Listed winner Shamshon (Invincible Spirit).
Starspangledbanner added a 14th stakes winner to his CV when Aloha Star landed the Airlie Stud Stakes (Gr 2, 6f) at the Curragh last Sunday and he will stand at Rosemont Stud in Victoria for a fee of $19,800 (inc GST) in 2020.
Millisle is back in business
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 22, 2020
@Jessica_Racing's filly sprints to success in the Group Three feature at @NaasRacecourse under Shane Foley for a first victory since her 2019 Cheveley Park win
Results & free replays https://t.co/sBcsavHpYf pic.twitter.com/sV6oUQaTs2
