Latest news with #EmpressFillies'Stakes
Irish Examiner
34 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Argentine Tango waltzes to Newmarket success
There was a win for Yorkshire in Newmarket's Empress Fillies' Stakes, as Tim Easterby's Argentine Tango danced her rivals into submission. Yet to finish outside the first two in her career to date, she headed south with some fine form to her name, including finishing second to Albany Stakes winner Venetian Sun on her penultimate start before winning Beverley's Hilary Needler Trophy later the same week. Sent off at 9-1 in the hands of David Allen, she put her experience to great use to battle her way to a narrow head victory over Ed Walker's Midnight Tango, with Richard Hughes' 6-4 favourite Bella Lyra a neck further back in third. Easterby said: "She's just super tough and super game and just like her sire Mattmu, she's hard as nails. "She'll go on any ground, soft or firm it wouldn't matter and she got the six furlongs well. "If you look her form up she tried to give the Albany winner 6lb at Carlisle which was a hell of a run. She ran at Carlisle on the Monday and went to Beverley and won on Saturday, that's the type of horse she is. "You can't believe how tough and hard she is and Mattmu was just the same, she has a massive heart and you can't give her a day off as she'll just buck them off, racing is like nothing for her." With Listed success secured and having proven her liking for six furlongs on her first try at the distance, Easterby will now consult with the owners to plot a route forward with their hardy youngster, who now has three wins from five starts. "We were just going down there today as we had no other options really," continued Easterby. "We had planned to skip Ascot and other than going to another fillies race where she could pick up a bonus but have a massive penalty, this was the obvious race and it was a very competitive field. "We're open to ideas and will just decide as we go along, but you can't give her days off as she's so tough and hardy. "We'll figure out a route and she's won a Listed race now which is great for a filly like her and great for the sire. She's bred by a top stud in Bearstone and they always come out of there tough, so we'll just keep going and see what there is and where we end up."
Powys County Times
a day ago
- Sport
- Powys County Times
Empress date looms for unbeaten Anthelia
Anthelia puts her unbeaten record on the line when she steps up in trip for the Empress Fillies' Stakes at Newmarket on Thursday. Rod Millman's daughter of Supremacy has proven deadly over five furlongs so far in her career and dazzled in the Listed National Stakes at Sandown last time, but having made the decision to skip Royal Ascot, connections now head to the July course for a first try at six furlongs buoyed by last week's results at the summer showpiece. 'She carried a 3lb penalty for her win at Sandown which obviously makes life a little bit harder but the form has stood up well and there was a couple of horses not beaten far at Royal Ascot last week,' said Millman. 'One horse was only beaten two lengths in the Windsor Castle (Dylan Cunha's Kamakameleon) and the other ran very close in the Queen Mary (Jane Chapple-Hyam's Eskimo Pie) and they were held behind her at Sandown, so the form stacks up well. 'She's been a very good filly for us and has trained very well since Sandown, so hopefully she can run well again. I think she will take six furlongs well and in all her races she has finished strongly. 'It was always the plan to miss Royal Ascot. Ascot is fantastic, but it is always so competitive – this is a competitive race obviously, but it wouldn't be as tough as a Queen Mary. All being well we've got a busy season planned for her if it all works out.' Anthelia's chief market rivals appear to be Richard Hughes' Windsor winner Bella Lyra and David Loughnane's Amberia who created a real impression when making all on debut at Leicester, bolting up by six lengths. The daughter of Coulsty, who cost just €2,000 as a yearling, has since been purchased by American owners Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, with Loughnane eager to see how his exciting prospect performs up at Listed level. Loughnane said: 'She's in good order and she's come on both mentally and physically since Leicester. 'It wouldn't concern me dropping back to six furlongs as she jumped and travelled and showed plenty of speed in her first start. 'Obviously it's a massive step up in grade but we hope she can go there and be competitive and if she comes home with black type that would be great.' Tim Easterby's Argentine Tango accounted for Karl Burke's subsequent Prix du Bois fourth Meelaf when they met in Beverley's Hilary Needler and heads to HQ in winning order, as does Hamilton scorer Midnight Tango who could continue the Ed Walker and Kieran Shoemark hot streak in a race the stable won with Celandine 12 months ago. Hugo Palmer's Game Striker arrives on the back of a win last time, with the Manor House handler also saddling Miss Piggle. Gemma Tutty's Awraad completes the line-up.
