Bobby's Kitten's Sandrine Takes The Albany

Hailing from the Andrew Balding stable already successful at the Royal meeting with the 2-year-old Berkshire Shadow (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Kirsten Rausing's Kempton winner Sandrine (GB) (Bobby's Kitten) doubled Kingsclere's tally as she mastered both the heavy ground and 14 rivals in Friday's G3 Albany S. Showing stamina as well as speed on her debut over this six-furlong trip on the Polytrack May 19, the homebred raced wide initially behind the leading group. Sent forward by David Probert passing halfway, the 16-1 shot was briefly stopped in her run approaching two out but was unperturbed waiting for the command. In the clear soon after, she cut down Hello You (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) inside the final 150 yards and powered through the deep ground to beat that rival by 1 1/2 lengths in the race that for most of the morning looked unlikely to take place. Oscula (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}), who had been third behind the winner at Kempton, was again in that spot half a length away having broken away from the main group to come up the stand's side. “I don't think many will go on these kind of wet conditions, but she is super-fit and very hardy,” Probert said. “She relaxes really well and gets into a good rhythm–she is not very green for a very inexperienced filly and when I did ask her she really was relentless and galloped really nicely to the line. It's very boggy, but we had such a deluge it is quite loose and they are galloping through it so it's not so energy-sapping as it would be if it had dried.”

Kirsten Rausing said, “I bought this filly's fifth or sixth dam as a yearling at Goffs in 1976 and the family has been with me ever since. Everything on her catalogue page from top to bottom, we have bred at Lanwades Stud. All my animals are homebred, so it gives me tremendous pleasure to keep the continuity. I also tend to support my own stallions and this filly is Bobby's Kitten's first stakes winner, first group winner, so we are thrilled with that.”

Andrew Balding added, “I thought the meeting was sure to be off. We were only coming here to have lunch, but I'm so pleased for Kirsten and she deserves a winner like this. Sandrine was impressive when winning on debut. It was a low-class race at Kempton, but the form worked out well and she worked nicely last week. We felt we were entitled to run. We were slightly worried about the ground, as there were mixed messages on the pedigree. However, Bobby's Kitten won well on soft ground on his only start in Ireland. There was no fluke about the win and she was very impressive. I am pleased for David Probert, who just gave her the most beautiful ride and really deserves it.”

Sandrine is the second foal out of the useful Sir Mark Prescott-trained multiple-winning dam Seychelloise (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), whose first is the useful 3-year-old colt Sea the Shells (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) who was fourth in the Listed Fairway S. last month. She is a daughter of the G3 Prix d'Arenberg winner Starlit Sands (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who was also runner-up in the 2007 G2 Queen Mary S. here. The third dam is the G3 Silken Glider S. third Shimmering Sea (GB) (Slip Anchor {GB}), a half to the G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S.-winning sire Petoski (GB) (Niniski) who produced the Scandinavian champion Sea Dane (GB) (Danehill). She was also responsible for the dams of the G3 Prix des Reservoirs winner Songerie (GB) (Hernando {Fr}), the G1 Oaks d'Italia third Souvenance (GB) (Hernando {Fr}) and the G3 Ridgewood Pearl S. winner Chigun (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). Seychelloise's yearling colt is by Roaring Lion, while she also has a colt foal by Study of Man (Ire).

Friday, Royal Ascot, Britain
ALBANY S.-G3, £65,000, Ascot, 6-18, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:18.00, sf.
1–SANDRINE (GB), 126, f, 2, by Bobby's Kitten
1st Dam: Seychelloise (GB), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Starlit Sands (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB)
3rd Dam: Shimmering Sea (GB), by Slip Anchor (GB)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-Kirsten Rausing (GB); T-Andrew Balding; J-David Probert. £38,480. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $58,029. Werk Nick Rating: C. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Hello You (Ire), 126, f, 2, Invincible Spirit (Ire)–Lucrece (GB), by Pivotal (GB). (€350,000 Ylg '20 ARDEAY). O-Amo Racing Ltd; B-Serge Boucheron (IRE); T-Ralph Beckett. £14,554.
3–Oscula (Ire), 126, f, 2, Galileo Gold (GB)–Bisous Y Besos (Ire), by Big Bad Bob (Ire). (4,000gns Ylg '20 TATOC). O-Nick Bradley Racing 20; B-Padraig Williams (IRE); T-George Boughey. £7,274.
Margins: 1HF, HF, NO. Odds: 16.00, 5.00, 10.00.
Also Ran: Prettiest, Cachet (Ire), Elliptic (Ire), Anadora (GB), Sunstrike (Ire), Lady Ayresome (Ire), Eve Lodge (GB), El Maga (Ire), Hellomydarlin (Ire), Flotus (Ire), Sows (Ire), Gypsy Lady (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.