Starspangledbanner’s Millisle Takes the Cheveley Park

[Wandering Eyes]

Jessica Harrington’s wealth of talent among her juvenile fillies spilled over on to Newmarket’s Rowley Mile on Saturday as Stonethorn Stud Farms’ Millisle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) caused an upset in the G1 Juddmonte Cheveley Park S. Off the bridle for most of the contest trying to keep up with the tempo mainly carved out by Raffle Prize (Ire) (Slade Power {Ire}), the 16-1 shot who was second last time in Salisbury’s G3 Dick Poole S. gave generously for Shane Foley to swamp her in the last 75 yards. At the line, she had 1 3/4 lengths to spare over that 10-11 favourite in a short-lived juvenile record time, with Tropbeau (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) an unlucky third, a half length further behind. “She was outpaced throughout, but I knew when she hit the rising ground she would stay and she enjoyed that nice ground,” Foley said. “She has been having to make her own running in Ireland as there has been nothing fast enough for her and she loved that brisk pace to gallop at. I needed a clear run, because I wasn’t going well enough to go between them and she’s really motored.”

One of the race’s less-considered runners, Millisle had enjoyed a dynamic debut when successful by 4 3/4 lengths on debut over five furlongs at a Bellewstown track not accustomed to launching future group 1 winners July 4. Runner-up to the subsequent Listed Roses S. fourth Think Big (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) in a conditions race over that trip at another circuit not known for showcasing this kind of talent in Down Royal July 26, the chestnut kept progressing to take the Aug. 16 Listed Curragh S. on soft ground again over five before tackling the Dick Poole. Denied a short-head by Dark Lady (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) on that first attempt at this trip Sept. 5, she was running on strongly at the death and so connections threw their hat into the ring here knowing that they have several yardsticks to measure her against at home.

Raffle Prize was a touch sluggish from the gates and Frankie Dettori had to wait to let her impose herself on the event, but despite travelling kindly on the front end there never seemed to be as much gusto in the G2 Queen Mary S. and G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. winner as there had been earlier in the season. After mastering the G2 Lowther S. winner Living In the Past (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {Ire}) running down into the “dip”, the Mark Johnston runner failed to truly get away from the remainder which gave Millisle a target as she found her second wind. Had the G3 Prix Six Perfections and G2 Prix du Calvados winner Tropbeau enjoyed a clear run inside the final two furlongs, she may have put it up to the winner but her momentum was stopped twice at crucial stages and Millisle had a clear passage up the stand’s rail to build a head of steam.

“She got beat at Salisbury, but was coming back at the end as she had to do all the donkey work that day,” Harrington said. “We just thought the rising ground here would suit her. Shane said the further she was going, the better she was going. She is bred to get a mile easily, as I actually trained a half-sister of hers that got a mile and six, so there is plenty of stamina on the dam’s side. You would probably give her an entry in the 1000 Guineas, but the ground would have to be good. I know she has won on soft ground, but you would have to start questioning the trip on soft ground.”

“We were very frightened in March, as we couldn’t find a bad one among them so either they were all useless or good,” she added. “I thought early on in the spring she would be our first two-year-old, then she started to grow and got a bit weak on me but she showed a lot of speed early on. She is a lovely filly and is home bred by Francis Jennings. She is the last foal out of one of his old mares. She is finished for the year now, that is her fifth run and she hasn’t done badly.”

Raffle Prize’s trainer could not hide his disappointment. “I think that is our seventh second in a group one this year, although it could be eight. It is at least seven, so it is pretty sickening,” Johnston said. “Frankie said she did everything right, but in the last 50 yards that one has come from the clouds and he didn’t know where she came from. She has not had a day off all year and there are not many horses we can say that about. She has been perfectly straightforward. That would be it for the season, as I don’t think there is anything else. Frankie got off and said she is my Guineas filly for next year. That would normally be my attitude with these sort of horses, as if they don’t get the trip they can come back in trip later.”

Millisle’s dam Green Castle (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}) produced a total of nine winners and four black-type performers including the Listed Braveheart S. winner Ithoughtitwasover (Ire) (Hurricane Run {Ire}). Her fastest progeny before Millisle was the listed-placed Greenisland (Ire) by the speed influence Fasliyev and she is herself the dam of the Listed Prix Valleee d’Auge scorer Shamshon (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and the Listed Feilden S. third Boerhan (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). The half-sister that Harrington spoke about post-race was Glenmayne (Ire) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}), who was third in the 14-furlong Listed Stanerra S.

The second dam is the listed winner Green Lucia (Green Dancer), who was also placed in the G1 Yorkshire Oaks and G1 Irish Oaks and is a half-sister to the dual Derby-winning sire Old Vic (GB). Her descendants include the G3 Matron S. winner and stakes producer Tadwiga (GB) (Fairy King), while the family also features the G1 2000 Guineas hero and leading sire High Top (Ire).

Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
JUDDMONTE CHEVELEY PARK S.-G1, £291,580, Newmarket, 9-28, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:09.39, gd.
1–MILLISLE (IRE), 126, f, 2, by Starspangledbanner (Aus)
1st Dam: Green Castle (Ire), by Indian Ridge (Ire)
2nd Dam: Green Lucia, by Green Dancer
3rd Dam: Cockade (GB), by Derring-Do (GB)
1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O/B-Stonethorn Stud Farms Ltd (IRE); T-Jessica Harrington; J-Shane Foley. £165,355. Lifetime Record: SW-Ire, 5-3-2-0, $259,071. *1/2 to Ithoughtitwasover (Ire) (Hurricane Run {Ire}), SW-Eng, $121,297; Greenisland (Ire) (Fasliyev), MSP-Eng & SP-Ger; and Glenmayne (Ire) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}), SP-Ire. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Raffle Prize (Ire), 126, f, 2, Slade Power (Ire)–Summer Fete (Ire), by Pivotal (GB). O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum; B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Mark Johnston. £62,690.
3–Tropbeau (GB), 126, f, 2, Showcasing (GB)–Frangipanni (Ire), by Dansili (GB). (60,000gns Ylg ’18 TAOCT; €180,000 2yo ’19 ARQMA). O-Lady Bamford; B-Lord Margadale (GB); T-Andre Fabre. £31,374.
Margins: 1 3/4, HF, 2. Odds: 16.00, 0.90, 4.50.
Also Ran: Tango (Ire), Living in the Past (Ire), Nurse Barbara (Ire), Dark Lady (GB), Etoile, Lil Grey (Ire), Moon of Love (Ire), Nina Bailarina (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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