By Tom Frary
Having sprung a surprise when winning Ascot's G3 Valiant Fillies' S. over a mile in July, Lady Bowthorpe (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) demonstrated a deadly turn of acceleration which made the difference on Sunday as she upgraded her portfolio with a win in Newmarket's G2 Betfair Dahlia S. Comfortable being held up in last off the moderate early pace by Kieran Shoemark, the 6-1 shot tracked last year's runner-up Queen Power (Ire) (Shamardal) heading down into the “dip” and blew by that 2-1 favourite inside the final 150 yards. At the line, she had a head to spare as Lavender's Blue (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) made it three in a line a neck behind in third. “She's very talented and we got away with the ground,” jockey Kieran Shoemark said. “She's bigger and stronger this year and I really hope she has a group 1 in her this year. She was a little bit mentally delicate in the early stages of her career, but she's grown up and her issue with the stalls is also beyond her now. She stays well and I needed that bit of rising ground.”
Lady Bowthorpe, who was sixth in the G3 Atalanta S. at Sandown in August and in the G1 Sun Chariot S. here in October, is nor far from the top of the tree now and trainer William Jarvis is hoping she can climb that bit higher from here. “She is very good–she looked amazing at Ascot, but maybe things didn't go quite right at Sandown and then the Sun Chariot was maybe a step too far for her on very heavy ground,” he said. “This last week, she has really come to hand and I was desperate to run her today. We were concerned about the ground, but it was safe so we let her take her chance. She is a very special filly and I think as the year goes on she will hopefully continue to improve. She is just a bit tricky and she takes minding. She went away for the winter to [owner] Emma Banks' family farm and they did a really good job with her. She has got the [G2] Duke of Cambridge [at Royal Ascot June 16] entry and I didn't put her in the Queen Anne, as if we can keep her to her own sex it is in her favour. We will have a talk about the [May 15 G1] Lockinge [at Newbury]. I would have thought we would have probably given it a swerve, but if Palace Pier frightens enough away we may just take our chance.”
Lady Bowthorpe's dam Maglietta Fina (Ire) (Verglas {Ire}) started off in Italy before being transferred to Robert Cowell and emerged as a smart sprint handicapper. Her first foal is the high-class Speak In Colours (GB) (Excelebration {Ire}) who has been successful in the G2 Greenlands S., G3 Phoenix Sprint S., G3 Renaissance S. and G3 Ballycorus S. and finished third in the G1 Prix de la Foret. Lady Bowthorpe was her second, while her third is the promising filly Pretty In Grey (GB) (Brazen Beau {Aus}) who was third in the Listed Cooley S. Maglietta Fina is kin to the four-times group-winning Tullius (Ire) (Le Vie dei Colori {GB}) who was also runner-up in the G1 Lockinge S. Next up is a 2-year-old colt by Muhaarar (GB) named Master of Colours (GB).
Sunday, Newmarket, Britain
BETFAIR DAHLIA S.-G2, £90,000, Newmarket, 5-2, 4yo/up, f/m, 9fT, 1:51.98, g/f.
1–LADY BOWTHORPE (GB), 126, m, 5, by Nathaniel (Ire)
1st Dam: Maglietta Fina (Ire), by Verglas (Ire)
2nd Dam: Whipped Queen, by Kingmambo
3rd Dam: Meringue Pie, by Silent Screen
(82,000gns Ylg '17 TAOCT). O-Ms E L Banks; B-Scuderia Archi Romani (GB); T-William Jarvis; J-Kieran Shoemark. £51,039. Lifetime Record: 12-4-2-0, $123,954. *1/2 to Speak In Colours (GB) (Excelebration {Ire}), MGSW-Ire, SW-Eng, G1SP-Fr, $487,900. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Queen Power (Ire), 126, m, 5, Shamardal–Princess Serena, by Unbridled's Song. (500,000gns Ylg '17 TATOCT). O-King Power Racing Co Ltd; B-Roundhill Stud (IRE); T-Sir Michael Stoute. £19,350.
3–Lavender's Blue (Ire), 126, m, 5, Sea the Stars (Ire)–Beatrice Aurore (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). O-Benny Andersson; B-Chess Racing (IRE); T-Amanda Perrett. £9,684.
Margins: HD, NK, 2 3/4. Odds: 6.00, 2.00, 3.30.
Also Ran: Indie Angel (Ire), Posted (GB), Freyja (Ire), Norma (GB). Scratched: Fooraat (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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