By Tom Frary
Whitsbury Manor Stud's first-season sire Sergei Prokofiev (by Scat Daddy) continued his electric start to the campaign, with his daughter Enchanting Empress (GB) providing his first black-type winner in the Listed Orbital Veterinary Services National S. at Sandown on Thursday evening. Representing Amo Racing and Giselle De Aguiar, the Dominic ffrench Davis trainee who had won at Wolverhampton on debut before following up in the Royal Ascot Two-Year-Old Trial EBF Conditions S. at the start of the month tracked the leaders early before starting her run inside the final two furlongs.
In front passing the furlong marker, the 62,000gns Tattersalls Somerville Yearling Sale graduate forged ahead under David Egan to beat Rock Hunter (GB) (Expert Eye {GB}) by half a length at odds of 4-1. “She's a tough filly, she just got herself out of trouble as she sat back in the stalls a little bit and missed the kick,” trainer Dominic ffrench Davis explained. “We always thought she was an Albany filly, but I think we're leaning now towards the Queen Mary because she's got sharper with every run. It should be ideal, David was very much of the mind that five furlongs at Ascot was going to be fine.”
“She's got a fantastic attitude, she hadn't done a lot between her last run and Ascot and here and she was actually a bit fresh today,” he added. “She took a bit of waking up in her first run, but I think she knows what it's all about now. Kia [Joorabchian] puts a great investment into the game and he deserves to have a few good ones. It's great to be able to build up something good enough to go to Royal Ascot. She seems to cope with any ground, she won on the all-weather at Wolverhampton, she won on goodish ground at Ascot and it didn't bother her here today. A good horse will go on any ground.”
The listed-placed dam Yolo Star (Ire) (Society Rock {Ire}), whose yearling colt is by Lope Y Fernandez (Ire), hails from the family of Efisio's sire Pips Pride (GB), whose career achievements included wins in the G1 Phoenix S. and G3 Grosser Preis von Berlin and a second in the G1 Middle Park S.
🔥Stakes Winner for SERGEI PROKOFIEV🔥
ENCHANTING EMPRESS wins the Listed National Stakes @Sandownpark for @amoracingltd & gives first season sire SERGEI PROKOFIEV his first Stakes winner 🏆
Congrats to all connections. Bred by @LletyFarms & WMS 👏
— Whitsbury Manor Stud (@WhitsburyManor) May 23, 2024
ORBITAL VETERINARY SERVICES NATIONAL S.-Listed, £30,000, Sandown, 5-23, 2yo, 5f 10yT, 1:05.60, sf.
1–ENCHANTING EMPRESS (GB), 126, f, 2, by Sergei Prokofiev
1st Dam: Yolo Star (Ire) (SP-Eng), by Society Rock (Ire)
2nd Dam: Pearly Brooks (GB), by Efisio (GB)
3rd Dam: Elkie Brooks (GB), by Relkino (GB)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. (62,000gns Ylg '23 TATSOM). O-Amo Racing Limited & Giselle De Aguiar; B-llety Farms & Whitsbury Manor Stud (GB); T-Dominic ffrench Davis; J-David Egan. £17,013. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $39,440.
2–Rock Hunter (GB), 131, c, 2, Expert Eye (GB)–Parknasilla (Ire), by Dutch Art (GB).
1ST BLACK TYPE. (15,000gns Wlg '22 TADEWE; £32,000 Ylg '23 GOFFUK). O-D MacAuliffe, A Don & D De Souza; B-Perryston Bloodstock (GB); T-Amy Murphy. £6,450.
3–Zminiature (GB), 131, c, 2, Territories (Ire)–Zmile (GB), by Medaglia D'Oro.
1ST BLACK TYPE. (10,000gns RNA Wlg '22 TADEWE). O-J Sarkar, D Sarkar, O Sarkar & D Sarkar; B-Jonathan Sarkar (GB); T-Dylan Cunha. £3,228.
Margins: HF, 1 1/4, 2HF. Odds: 4.00, 4.50, 16.00.
Also Ran: Reposado (GB), Spirited Dancer (GB), Hawaiian (GB). Scratched: Sonic Blue (Ire).
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