TDN RISING STARS

April 27, 2018 - SANDOWN PARK, Race 6, Cond, GBP £0, , 16.3500

Crystal Hope (GB), f, 3, 2015 by Nathaniel (Ire)

1st Dam: Crystal Etoile (GB), by Dansili (GB)
2nd Dam: Crystal Star (GB), by Mark of Esteem (Ire)
3rd Dam: Crystal Cavern, by Be My Guest

Owner: Sir Evelyn De Rothschild
Breeder: Southcourt Stud (GB)
Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute

Crystal Hope, who hails from the same family of the card’s G3 Gordon Richards S. winner Crystal Ocean (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), was clueless when sixth on debut over an extended mile at Nottingham in October and little was expected other than further tutelage as she started at 14-1. Settled in mid-division by William Buick throughout the early stages, the homebred was delivered with a strong challenge down the outer to take command with a furlong remaining and surge clear of Give and Take (GB) (Cityscape {GB}) to win by three lengths. The 10-11 favourite Highgarden (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), a descendant of the G1SW Rebelline (Ire) (Robellino), held every chance but could only stay on at one pace to be 1 1/4 lengths further away in third. Sir Michael Stoute’s assistant trainer James Horton told the Racing Post, “Crystal Hope has not shown us a huge amount at home, but she ran well when very green at Nottingham last year and showed us she had ability. I think it was a hot race today and she travelled smoothly, she loved the ground, she’ll stay well and was very green when she hit the front, but she’s done it with her ears pricked. There should be plenty of improvement. You can’t be anything but taken with that.� Crystal Hope’s dam, who ran seven times for these connections without success, is a half to the aforementioned Crystal Ocean who was also runner-up in last year’s G1 St Leger. Her other half-siblings were the GI Canadian International and G2 King Edward VII S. hero Hillstar (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and the G2 Princess of Wales’s S. and dual G2 Pride S. winner Crystal Capella (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}). From the family of the G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches heroine Rose Gypsy (GB) (Green Desert), the G1 Prix d’Ispahan winner Sasuru (GB) (Most Welcome {GB}), MGSW Sally Rous (Ire) (Rousillon) and GI Gamely S. scorer Tuscan Evening (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), she also has a 2-year-old daughter of Oasis Dream (GB) named Crystal Dream (GB) and a yearling colt by Australia (GB). Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $9,002.