By Sean Cronin
Sunderland Holdings' 190,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling Sea Silk Road (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) backed up a Dec. 15 debut sixth at Kempton with an impressive 5 1/2-length tally going an extended mile at Nottingham in her May 6 sophomore comeback and continued on an upward trajectory with a hard-fought victory in Friday's Listed William Hill Height of Fashion S. at Goodwood. The 11-10 chalk and G2 Ribblesdale S. entry is not engaged in Epsom's G1 Cazoo Oaks, for which this contest has acted as a stepping stone in the past, and was sluggish from the stalls here. Settled off the tempo in rear through halfway, she made relentless headway under pressure in the straight to join the front rank passing the furlong marker and was driven out in the closing stages to best Godolphin's Eternal Pearl (GB) (Frankel {GB}) by a half length for a career high.
“I think she is a promising filly and I'm pretty convinced she didn't like that soft ground at all,” said in-form trainer William Haggas. “She was off the bridle and in trouble three out, but she wants to win and it was her guts that got her through today. She is a Sea The Stars and they can do anything because he is such a good sire. I think she will mature and keep getting better, but she might need some more time. She has come a long way in such a short space of time and I think she will get further as she gets stronger. We will see how she is after this and I doubt we will put her away, but the [G2] Ribblesdale [at Royal Ascot] might come a bit too quick.”
Sea Silk Road, the fourth of six foals, is one of three winners from as many runners produced by Listed Winterkonigin-Trial and G3 Grosser Preis von Lotto Hamburg third Oriental Magic (Ger) (Doyen {Ire}), herself half to G2 Gerling-Preis and G3 Deutsches St Leger victor Oriental Eagle (Ger) (Campanologist) and MGSP G2 Prix Kergorlay second Oriental Fox (Ger) (Lomitas {GB}). The March-foaled bay's stakes-winning second dam Oriental Pearl (Ger) (Big Shuffle) is kin to three black-type performers and to the dam of MGSW G1 Deutsches Derby and G1 Grosser Preis von Baden placegetter Oriental Tiger (Ger) (Tiger Hill {Ire}). Oriental Magic has the unraced 2-year-old colt Indemnity (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and a yearling filly by Bated Breath (GB) to come.
Friday, Goodwood, Britain
WILLIAM HILL HEIGHT OF FASHION S.-Listed, £52,000, Goodwood, 5-20, 3yo, f, 9f 197yT, 2:11.55, sf.
1–SEA SILK ROAD (IRE), 128, f, 3, by Sea The Stars (Ire)
1st Dam: Oriental Magic (Ger) (SW & GSP-Ger, SP-Fr), by Doyen (Ire)
2nd Dam: Oriental Pearl (Ger), by Big Shuffle
3rd Dam: Orange Bowl (Ire), by General Assembly
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. (190,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Sunderland Holding Inc; B-Kildaragh Stud (IRE); T-William Haggas; J-Tom Marquand. £29,489. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $41,448.
2–Eternal Pearl (GB), 128, f, 3, Frankel (GB)–Pearly Steph (Fr), by Oasis Dream (GB). (700,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Godolphin; B-SCEA Haras de Saint Pair (GB); T-Charlie Appleby. £11,180.
3–Viareggio (Ire), 128, f, 3, Caravaggio–Just Joan (Ire), by Pour Moi (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE. (75,000gns Wlg '19 TATFOA; 65,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Alpha Racing; B-Hawes Stud (IRE); T-Jessica Harrington. £5,595.
Margins: HF, 3 3/4, 2HF. Odds: 1.10, 5.50, 18.00.
Also Ran: Ottilien (Fr), Emotion (GB), Present Moment (Ire), Three Priests (Jpn), Makinmedoit (Ire), Bella Veneta (GB), Moonlight Frolic (GB).
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