By Tom Frary
There were some choicely-bred fillies in Newmarket's opening British Stallion Studs EBF “Newcomers” Maiden Fillies' S. on Saturday, but one dominant member of the class in Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum's Bright Diamond (Ire) (El Kabeir–Starlite Sienna {Ire}, by Elusive Pimpernel). Sent off at 10-1, the Karl Burke-trained bay who was a bargain €52,000 purchase at the Tattersalls Ireland Goresbridge Breeze-Up was at work first under Clifford Lee but responded to power her way to the front approaching the furlong pole. Devouring the rising ground to the line, the relative of the triple group 3 winner Realtra (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) had nine lengths to spare over the Michael Bell-trained Liberalist (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) there, with a neck back to Jalapa (GB) (Expert Eye {GB}), the half-sister to Westover (GB) (Frankel {GB}).
“For a Breeze-Up horse, she has always been fairly laid-back at home and just goes through the motions so I certainly wasn't expecting that,” Burke said. “I'm not sure how good the race was, but she couldn't have done it any easier. She looked like the first beat at halfway, but ran very straight and she wasn't stopping at the line. We will see how she starts working at home. It's amazing, as we are having a great year with the two-year-olds and we have some lovely horses there. She was not near the top of the pecking order, so it will be interesting to see how she works with those horse when she gets back. Clifford said she will stay a mile no problem, so she could go for the [G2] May Hill [at Doncaster Sept. 8].”
Bright Diamond is the second of two foals out of the dam, a half to the aforementioned Realtra whose career highs came at or around seven furlongs in the G3 Sceptre S., G3 Brownstown S. and G3 Fairy Bridge S. She is also connected to the Queen Mother's Memorial Cup winner Solid Approach (Ire) (Definite Article {GB}) and the dual listed scorer and dual group-placed Tabarrak (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}).
1st-Newmarket, £8,000, Mdn, 8-6, 2yo, f, 7fT, 1:26.98, g/f.
BRIGHT DIAMOND (IRE), f, 2, by El Kabeir
1st Dam: Starlite Sienna (Ire), by Elusive Pimpernel
2nd Dam: Devious Diva (Ire), by Dr Devious (Ire)
3rd Dam: Dawn Chorus (Ire), by Mukaddamah
(€23,000 Ylg '21 GOFSPT; €52,000 2yo '22 TATGOR). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $5,215. O-Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum; B-T Molan (IRE); T-Karl Burke. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Hello, what have we got here? 👀
Bright Diamond (El Kabeir) was one of the first under pressure in the @BritishEBF “Newcomers” Maiden Fillies' Stakes @NewmarketRace
And then this happened for @karl_burke and @CliffordleexLee 👇 pic.twitter.com/MhSz7OMDz5
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 6, 2022
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