Homebred Victoria wins comfortably at Bath
Friday 24 May 2024 – Newmarket based James Owen continues his fine run of form under all codes with a win for his homebred filly Victoria in the Emirates Breeders (0-55) Handicap at Bath this evening. Ridden by stable amateur Teagan Padgett, the pair took up the lead just after halfway in the mile and a quarter contest and were never headed thereafter. The Raffles Partnership’s Coljani, ridden for the first time by Marco Ghiani put up an improved performance to stay on for second, with Evermore Racing’s Kayack putting up his best showing for several seasons when third under Miss Serena Brotherton.
Victoria is the second foal out of Owen’s leading Arabian of 2017, Dolfina D’Ibos and is a first UK winner for her sire, Al Asayl’s RB Burn who won the HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown (Gr1PA), won of the world’s most valuable Arabian races.
Quotes:
Lissie Reeves, Arabian Assistant Trainer to James Owen, 1st, “I’m really pleased with her, she ran really well. She strengthened up over the winter, but I think the soft ground was too much for her at Windsor, but the good ground has suited her today.
“We’ll have to see how her rating goes before making firm plans for her next race, she’s got a turn of foot, but I think she might stay a bit further too.”
Miss Teagan Padgett, jockey, 1st, “I was a bit shocked at how well she travelled, that trip was perfect for her. We were hopeful for her at Windsor before the ground went against her. I got to the front way sooner than I wanted to and she was having a look around, but she got home in front and that’s all she needed to do.”
Peter Hammersley, Trainer, 2nd and 4th, “Marco has done the trick with Coljani, he said he jumped keen, but once in front he’s manged to settle him, he just got taken on by Kayack for the lead which set him alight a bit, but then he was able to drop in behind. Once he got cover he dropped his head and in fact Marco said he switched off so much he wondered whether he was just a bridle horse. He’s run on well at the finish though.
“We’re pleased with Belle Angelique finishing fourth. Jack [Doughty] said that she was so slow to begin with. I was thinking about headgear for her today, but I decided to give her one more go without, but maybe she needs the blinkers back on again.”
Miss Teagan Padgett, Victoria and Lissie Reeves winners of theEmirates Breeders (0-55) Handicap Stakes at Bath
© Debbie Burt – Equine Creative Media
Genny Haynes, ARO Chief Executive Officer: “That was an impressive performance by a young British bred filly who looks like she is capable of progressing from here. We congratulate James, Lissie, Teagan and the team at Green Ridge Stables, as well as Natalie Cox who won the Best Turned Out award sponsored by The Arabian Racehorse magazine for Hattie Sparks.
“We now look forward to our next race at Doncaster on June 1st.”