By Sean Cronin
Ollie Sangster snagged last year's renewal of Sandown's Listed European Bloodstock News EBF Star Stakes with subsequent G1 Fillies' Mile runner-up Shuwari (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) and collected back-to-back renewals of the seven-furlong contest with recent Haydock winner Celestial Orbit (GB) (No Nay Never–Rose Bonheur {GB}, by Danehill Dancer {Ire}).
Settled off the tempo in seventh until easing closer in the home straight, the 9-1 chance moved to within striking distance with a quarter-mile remaining and was beyond recall once quickening to the fore approaching the final furlong, keeping on strongly up the hill to comfortably account for the running-on Anshoda (Ire) (Inns Of Court {Ire}) by 2 1/4 lengths.
“She's a lovely, well-bred filly who is very straightforward to train and I'm delighted,” commented Sangster. “She's taken a large step forward from Haydock and hopefully she can keep progressing. Jamie [Spencer] gave her a lovely ride, he rode her very confidently and looked comfortable all the way up the straight. She did it really well and showed a nice turn of foot to put the race to bed and, hopefully, there is more to come. I would say she would stay at seven furlongs for now. Her half-brother Nayef Road was a very good stayer, albeit by Galileo, and I suppose she will probably go up in trip at some point. In a month's time, you have got a races like the [G3] Prestige at Goodwood and [G2] Prix du Calvados at Deauville, and then you have the [G2] May Hill at Doncaster over a mile. So, there's some nice fillies-only options and we will keep her with the fillies and see how she can progress for the rest of the year.”
Celestial Orbit is the eighth of 10 foals and one of six winners out of dual Group 3-placed Listed Owenstown Stud Stakes and Listed Belgrave Stakes victrix Rose Bonheur (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), herself a half-sister to G3 Silver Flash Stakes third Roseraie (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}). Roseraie, in turn, is the dam of G2 May Hill Stakes runner-up Dark Rose Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). The January-foaled bay is kin to dual Group 3-winning G1 St Leger, G1 Gold Cup and G1 Goodwood Cup placegetter Nayef Road (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Listed Grosser Sparkassenpreis third Middle East (Ire) (Frankel (GB)}), a yearling filly by Palace Pier (GB) and a weanling colt by Churchill (Ire). Their second dam is G3 International Stakes winner and G1 Moyglare Stud Stakes runner-up Red Feather (Ire) (Marju {Ire).
Celestial Orbit, sent off at 9/1, is a commanding winner of the Listed European Bloodstock News EBF Star Stakes at @Sandownpark under @JPSPENCER1980 for @OllieSangster. pic.twitter.com/AgJ671wy9b
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) July 25, 2024
Thursday, Sandown, Britain
EUROPEAN BLOODSTOCK NEWS EBF STAR STAKES-Listed, £40,000, Sandown, 7-25, 2yo, f, 7fT, 1:30.37, gd.
1–CELESTIAL ORBIT (GB), 128, f, 2, by No Nay Never
1st Dam: Rose Bonheur (GB) (MSW & GSP-Ire, GSP-Eng, $150,430), by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
2nd Dam: Red Feather (Ire), by Marju (Ire)
3rd Dam: Galyph, by Lyphard
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. (260,000gns Ylg '23 TATOCT). O-Magnier's, Shanahan & MacLennan; B-B V Sangster (GB); T-Ollie Sangster; J-Jamie Spencer. £22,684. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $35,940. *1/2 to Nayef Road (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), MGSW & MG1SP-Eng, $633,454; and Middle East (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), SP-Ger.
2–Anshoda (Ire), 128, f, 2, Inns Of Court (Ire)–Silk Fan (Ire), by Unfuwain. 1ST BLACK TYPE. (€24,000 Ylg '23 TATIRY; 5,000gns 2yo '24 TATGBU). O-Nawaf Almutairi; B-Silk Fan Syndicate (IRE); T-David Loughnane. £8,600.
3–Flaming Stone (GB), 128, f, 2, Kingman (GB)–Burning Rules (Ire), by Aussie Rules. 1ST BLACK TYPE. (425,000gns Wlg '22 TADEWE). O-Juddmonte; B-Mrs Anita Wigan & Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-Andrew Balding. £4,304.
Margins: 2 1/4, 1 3/4, NK. Odds: 9.00, 66.00, 1.50.
Also Ran: Alla Stella (GB), The Terminus (Ire), Love Talk (Ire), Dollyana (GB), Santa Savana (GB), Jewel Of London (GB), Del Ray (GB). Scratched: Jayvee (Ire).
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