Sky Bet Lowther Stakes |
||
| Group 2, York 13:50 £250,000 guaranteed, 2yo only, 6f, Class 1  |
||
|
||
1 Celandine 13/2
2 Time For Sandals 10/1
3 Leovanni
3/1
9 ran Distances: nk, 1½l, ½l
Time: 1m 10.77s (slow by 0.77s)
Celandine returns to winning ways in the Sky Bet Lowther Stakes after making all the running under Tom Marquand for trainer Ed Walker! 🏆@TomMarquand | @edwalkerracing pic.twitter.com/lDouMESDYM
— York Racecourse (@yorkracecourse) August 22, 2024
Starting at 13-2 for trainer Ed Walker and jockey Tom Marquand, Celandine returned to fillies-only competition after finishing third in the Prix Robert Papin and fourth in the Molecomb Stakes in her last two outings.
She broke quickly under Marquand, who was content to lead the field. With some energy reserved, Celandine fended off all challengers in the six-furlong race.
Time For Sandals made a late charge in the final half-furlong, but Celandine held on to win by a neck. Queen Mary Stakes winner Leovanni finished another length and a half behind in third, with the favorite Heavens Gate in fourth.
A jubilant Walker said: “I haven’t had a buzz like that for a long time, I don’t know why but it really got me.
“I really fancied her at Goodwood when she kind of disappointed, she disappointed in France too and I stupidly took on the colts at Goodwood hunting for fast ground when I was probably over-thinking it a bit too much.
“That was very special, the way she does it, she’s so tough. I think she got a bit lonely at Goodwood, we had to use a lot of gas early over five down that hill, drawn out on a wing whereas today she was in amongst it and surged forward.
“She’s very quick, very tough, very genuine and Tom gets on brilliantly with her. She’s cool.”
He added: “She’s properly quick, an out-and-out sprinter. I got my leg pulled for putting her in the Moyglare, but the Lowther will do!
“I guess the Cheveley Park and then the Breeders’ Cup has got to be the plan.”
Sky Bet Lowther Stakes (Group 2)
£250,000 guaranteed, 2yo only, 6f, Class 1
9 ran
Going: Good to Firm
POS. (DRAW) FORM HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 (4) Celandine 2 9-2 Ed Walker Tom Marquand 13/2
2 (5) nk Time For Sandals 2 9-2 Harry Eustace Richard Kingscote 10/1
3 (8) 1½ Leovanni 2 9-5 K R Burke James Doyle 3/1
4 (7) ½ Heavens Gate 2 9-2 A P O'Brien Ryan Moore 15/8F
5 (6) 1¼ Perfect Part 2 9-2 Brian Ellison Connor Beasley 50/1
6 (9) 2 Miss Lamai 2 9-2 K R Burke Clifford Lee 12/1
7 (2) 3½ Tales Of The Heart 2 9-2 Ralph Beckett Rossa Ryan 13/2
8 (1) 3½ Betty Clover 2 9-2 Eve Johnson Houghton Georgia Dobie 11/1
9 (3) 4 Unspoken Love 2 9-2 K R Burke Daniel Tudhope 50/1
