By Tom Frary
Qatar Racing through-and-through, Queen Of The Pride (GB) (Roaring Lion) gave the operation a moment of celebration in Saturday's G3 Lester Piggott Fillies' S. at Haydock. Out of their G1 St Leger and G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares S. heroine Simple Verse (Ire) (Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}), the Gosdens' 4-year-old who had finished runner-up in the Listed Daisy Warwick Fillies' S. at Goodwood last month quickly took up prominent rank in this extended 11-furlong contest.
Sent to the fore approaching the furlong pole, the 9-2 shot stuck to her task gamely to see off the challenge of Lady Boba (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and prevail by a short head. “Both her parents were group one winners, so she means a lot to us,” jockey Oisin Murphy said. “She's obviously been slow to come to hand, but she's been looked after and now we are reaping the rewards. I think she'll get further, but whether she needs to go further than a mile and a half I don't know yet. When I was pulling up I was thinking of the [G1] Prix de Royallieu, the mile and six race on Arc weekend, but I'm sure John, Thady and Sheikh Fahad can think about that.”
Queen Of The Pride holds onto the lead after a late challenge from Lady Boba in the @Betfred Nifty 50 Lester Piggott Fillies' Stakes with @oismurphy onboard for the John & @thadygosden stable! 👏 pic.twitter.com/uApDvcfL4L
— Haydock Park Races (@haydockraces) June 8, 2024
Pedigree Notes
Queen Of The Pride is the second foal out of the aforementioned Simple Verse, a half to the G2 Ribblesdale S. winner Evensong (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) who in turn is the dam of the listed winner and G1 Criterium International runner-up Espionage (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). From the family of the G1 Irish Derby-winning sire Law Society, her unraced 2-year-old colt Delta (GB) is by Roaring Lion's sire Kitten's Joy.
Saturday, Haydock, Britain
BETFRED NIFTY 50 LESTER PIGGOTT FILLIES' S. (PINNACLE S.)-G3, £85,000, Haydock, 6-8, 4yo/up, f, 11f 175yT, 2:34.65, gd.
1–QUEEN OF THE PRIDE (GB), 128, f, 4, by Roaring Lion
1st Dam: Simple Verse (Ire) (MG1SW-Eng, $1,456,105), by Duke Of Marmalade (Ire)
2nd Dam: Guantanamera (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
3rd Dam: Bluffing (Ire), by Darshaan (GB)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (115,000gns 2yo '22 TATMA). O-Qatar Racing Ltd; B-The Simple Verse Partnership (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Oisin Murphy. £48,204. Lifetime Record: 4-2-1-0, $84,116. Werk Nick Rating: D. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Lady Boba (GB), 128, f, 4, Lope De Vega (Ire)–Moi Meme (GB), by Teofilo (Ire). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (160,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Andrew Rosen & Barry K Schwartz; B-Fortescue Bloodstock (GB); T-Ralph Beckett. £18,275.
3–Mistral Star (GB), 128, f, 4, Frankel (GB)–Shirocco Star (GB), by Shirocco (Ger). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Helena Springfield Ltd; B-Meon Valley Stud (GB); T-Hugh Morrison. £9,146.
Margins: SHD, 2 1/4, HD. Odds: 4.50, 6.00, 12.00.
Also Ran: Sea Theme (Ire), Madame Ambassador (GB), Scenic (Fr), Night Sparkle (Ire), Starry Heavens (Ire), Sapphire Seas (GB), Ching Shih (Ire), Caernarfon (GB), Wynter Wildes (GB), Moogie (GB). Scratched: Miss Cantik (Fr).
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