By Tom Frary
Coming into Wednesday's Listed EBF Stallions John Musker Fillies' S. off a win in Haydock's Reprocolor Premier Fillies' H. 13 days previously, Godolphin's Sapphire Seas (GB) (Frankel {GB}) raised her game again to beat some talented peers for her black-type breakthrough. Tracking the leaders early, the 9-2 shot travelled smoothly to the fore under William Buick approaching two out and had command soon after. Pushed out to assert her superiority, the Charlie Appleby-trained homebred hit the line with 2 1/2 lengths to spare over the smart yardstick Mukaddamah (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), with the returning TDN Rising Star Infinite Cosmos (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) 3/4 of a length away in third. The 10-11 favourite Al Asifah (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who had so impressed earlier in the season, was only seventh.
Buick, who registered a four-timer on the card for Appleby, said, “It was a very smart performance. She won nicely last time at Haydock in a fillies' handicap and she's certainly stepped up on that. She's going to keep improving hopefully. I would say the team will be delighted with what they saw there and hopefully she'll be around for next year. This is a nice race, a lovely race for fillies. Let's hope she can go on to better things.”
Treble up for Buick, Appleby and @godolphin!🔵
Sapphire Seas is much the best in the Listed EBF Stallions John Musker Fillies' Stakes, with Al Asifah disappointing at @GTYarmouthRaces… pic.twitter.com/6AbgpQdI7y
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) September 20, 2023
Sapphire Seas' Listed Meydan Classic-winning dam Pure Diamond (GB) (Street Cry {Ire}) is a daughter of the G3 Prix Miesque winner White Rose (Ger) (Platini {Ger}) who was also second in the G1 Preis der Diana. Responsible also for the fellow listed scorers Elite Army (GB) (Authorized {Ire}) and Promesse De L'Aube (Fr) (Galileo {Ire}), the family includes Wild Coco (Ger) (Shirocco {Ger}) who captured the G2 Park Hill S. and two renewals of the G3 Lillie Langtry S. and was second in the G1 Prix Vermeille. Pure Diamond also has an as-yet unnamed 2-year-old colt by Kingman (GB) and a filly foal by Night Of Thunder (Ire).
EBF STALLIONS JOHN MUSKER FILLIES S.-Listed, £52,000, Great Yarmouth, 9-20, 3yo/up, f/m, 10f 23yT, 2:06.95, gd.
1–SAPPHIRE SEAS (GB), 125, f, 3, Frankel (GB)–Pure Diamond (GB) (SW-UAE, $112,587), by Street Cry (Ire).
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick. £29,234. Lifetime Record: 5-4-0-0, $62,960.
2–Mukaddamah (GB), 130, f, 4, New Approach (Ire)–Craighall (GB), by Dubawi (Ire). (80,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd; B-Whatton Manor Stud (GB); T-Roger Varian. £11,128.
3–Infinite Cosmos (Ire), 125, f, 3, Sea The Stars (Ire)–Waila (GB), by Notnowcato (GB).
TDN Rising Star. O-Exors of the late Sir E D Rothschild; B-South Court Stud (IRE); T-Sir Michael Stoute. £5,569.
Margins: 2HF, 3/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 4.50, 16.00, 5.00.
Also Ran: Fall In Love (Ire), La Isla Mujeres (Fr), Persist (GB), Al Asifah (GB), Morning Poem (GB), Khinjani (GB), Makinmedoit (Ire), Queen of The Skies (GB), Sparkling Beauty (Fr), Belhaven (Ire), Cite d'Or (Fr).
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