By Tom Frary
All the rage ahead of Friday's British EBF Quidhampton Maiden Fillies' Stakes at Salisbury, Valmont and Ballylinch Stud's Ralph Beckett-trained Sandtrap (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}–Zindaya, by More Than Ready) produced all the expected pyrotechnics to become her sire's 17th TDN Rising Star. Always travelling with intent under Hector Crouch shadowing the leader in this seven-furlong test, the 4-5 favourite was shaken up approaching the furlong pole and responded with zest to bound 4 3/4 lengths clear of Jowddah (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) who had been second in a Newmarket novice last month.
“She felt very professional, but I was anxious to teach her enough, as she's a filly we hold in high regard and education was paramount,” Crouch said of the full-sister to last month's GI Fourstardave Handicap hero Carl Spackler (Ire) who was bought for 450,000gns at Tattersalls October Book 1. “Today's the first time I've sat on her–Rob [Hornby] rode her last Saturday and was very impressed and on that feel she's given me she's right up there with the best I've ridden. She moved lovely on the ground and she's a big, angular filly so if she falls away a bit after this we might have to put her away. If she bounces out of it, she could be in those big ones at the end of the year.”
Beckett knew what he was dealing with after the sparkling piece of work Crouch referred to. “It wasn't a big surprise that she was able to do that, what she did last week was a surprise,” he explained. “It's a race that has been good to us over the last few years and I was keen to come. She's more coat-hanger than anything else, a frame still and it will be next year before she comes to full strength. I'm not hung up about running her again this year, if she needs to she will.”
Sandtrap's dam Zindaya (More Than Ready) was a smart performer in her own right, winning the GII Goldikova Stakes and placing in two other graded-stakes contests. Her aforementioned son Carl Spackler is also the winner of the GII National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes, GIII Saranac Stakes and GIII Kelso Stakes, while her half-brother Western Aristocrat (Mr. Greeley) was successful in the GI Jamaica Handicap. Also a full-sister to the stakes-placed dam of the G3 Nikkan Sports Sho Shinzan Kinen scorer Noble Roger (Palace Malice), her 2024 colt is by Uncle Mo while she was also bred to Justify.
4th-Salisbury, £35,000, Mdn, 9-13, 2yo, f, 6f 213yT, 1:29.52, g/s.
SANDTRAP (IRE), f, 2, by Lope De Vega (Ire)
1st Dam: Zindaya (GSW-US, $567,240),
by More Than Ready
2nd Dam: Aristocratic Lady, by Kris S.
3rd Dam: American Dynasty, by Quiet American
(450,000gns Ylg '23 TATOCT). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $23,102. O-Valmont & Ballylinch Stud; B-Fifth Avenue Bloodstock (IRE); T-Ralph Beckett. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Blimey …. 👀
450,000gns yearling 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐩 (Lope De Vega) sparkles on debut in the valuable @BritishEBF Quidhampton fillies' maiden @salisburyraces 💨
Just the fourth winner on the day for @RalphBeckett …@BallylinchStud | @HectorCrouch pic.twitter.com/nECDgQ5LbX
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) September 13, 2024
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