By Sean Cronin
Mark Dobbin's Ladies Church (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) registered a June 9 debut fourth at Cork, behind the reopposing Impeachd Alexander (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), and followed up a June 30 breakthrough score over five furlongs at Tipperary with an impressive display tackling the same trip in Wednesday's Listed Arqana Irish EBF Marwell S. at Naas, becoming the first stakes winner for her freshman sire (by Galileo {Ire}). The 3-1 second favourite was restrained to race in an overall third as British raider Sophie's Star (GB) (Cotai Glory {GB}) blazed a solo trail down the stands' side and the remainder collected en masse on the far side in a contest won last year by subsequent G2 Lowther S. victrix and G1 Cheveley Park S. and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf placegetter Miss Amulet (Ire) (Sir Prancelot {Ire}). Looming large passing the quarter-mile marker, she was shaken up to seize control approaching the final furlong and powered clear in the closing stages to secure a first black-type rosette by an impressive 2 1/4 lengths from Pennine Hills (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}). Sophie's Star kept on to finish 1 3/4 lengths adrift in third.
“Mark [Dobbin] is a new owner for the yard, he's invested a lot into Irish racing and I'm delighted to get one for him,” explained winning rider Ben Coen. “She picked up and then idled a bit when she got there, but she was very good. She's improved again from Tipperary and she can only get better as well. I think she'll get six [furlongs], I like her and I think she's smart.”
Ladies Church is the lone foal produced by Listed Prix des Reves d'Or victrix Rioticism (Fr) (Rio de la Plata), herself the leading performer out of a half-sister to G3 Somerville Tattersall S. and G3 Sirenia S. third Adventurous (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), G3 Marit Sveaas Minnelop second Crimson and Gold (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) and Listed Derby du Midi placegetter Music House (Ire) (Singspiel {Ire}). Descendants of her G1 Prix Saint-Alary-winning fourth dam Rosefinch (Blushing Groom {Fr}) include MSW G2 Dante S. placegetter True Story (GB) (Manduro {Ger}), stakes-winning G2 King Edward VII S. third Roscius (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), MSW G2 Bill Stutt S. third Jimando (Aus) (Commands {Aus}), G2 Dubai City of Gold third Gold Star (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and Listed Churchill S. victor Team Talk (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}).
Wednesday, Naas, Ireland
ARQANA IRISH EBF MARWELL S.-Listed, €48,000, Naas, 7-21, 2yo, f, 5fT, :58.87, gd.
1–LADIES CHURCH (GB), 128, f, 2, by Churchill (Ire)
1st Dam: Rioticism (Fr) (SW-Fr, $101,570), by Rio de La Plata
2nd Dam: Romanticism (Ire), by Cape Cross (Ire)
3rd Dam: Rosia (Ire), by Mr. Prospector
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. (62,000gns Wlg '19 TATFOA; £160,000 Ylg '20 GOFOR). O-Mark Dobbin; B-Dukes Stud & Overbury Stallions Ltd (GB); T-Johnny Murtagh; J-Ben Coen. €28,800. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $44,438.
2–Pennine Hills (Ire), 128, f, 2, Kodiac (GB)–Milana (Fr), by Mark of Esteem (Ire). (€60,000 Wlg '19 GOFNOV). O-Sun Bloodstock; B-Martin Butler (IRE); T-Joseph O'Brien. €9,600.
3–Sophie's Star (GB), 128, f, 2, Cotai Glory (GB)–Overheard (Ire), by Lope de Vega (Ire). (7,000gns RNA Wlg '19 TATFOA). O-Nick Bradley Racing 5 & Elaine Burke; B-Nick Bradley Bloodstock (GB); T-Karl Burke. €4,800.
Margins: 2 1/4, 1 3/4, 4 1/4. Odds: 3.00, 3.33, 2.25.
Also Ran: Kimbah (Ire), Orinoco River, Impeachd Alexander (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result.
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