There was no hiding the delight on the face of trainer James Tate after Havana Sprite dead-heated for first with Glorious Game in the feature Empress Fillies’ Stakes.
One of two runners in the race for the Newmarket handler, alongside Beauty Box, the daughter of Havana Grey put her head down at the right time to force a share of the spoils.
Having opened her account at Bath 17 days ago, the Valmont-owned filly was sent off a 100/30 chance to follow up that win in the Listed prize on her first start over six furlongs.
It was the Can Can Queen, from the Charlie Johnston yard, that cut out much of the early running before being passed deep inside the final furlong by both Havana Sprite and Glorious Game on the climb to the line.
Havana Sprite looked to have got the better of the argument under Hector Crouch as the post loomed, however with one last lunge Glorious Game (7/4 favourite) gamely fought back to put herself back in contention and secure a dead-heat under five-time champion jockey Oisin Murphy.
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Tate said: “I’m very happy taking that. She is my first horse for Valmont so I’m delighted that she won the other week and now she has passed the post in first position in a Listed race, and that is absolutely awesome.
“They are both decent fillies, but the other filly only ran at Ripon last week so she was a bit excited today, and she didn’t settle. We will do a reset on her and I’m sure she will bounce back to form, but we will concentrate on the one that has won the champagne today.
“She does look progressive, and she has really improved physically. Early doors she was a little bit weak looking, and now every time I see her she gets stronger, so you couldn’t rule out more to come.”
And a step up in class now beckons for Havana Sprite with Tate earmarking the Group Two Lowther Stakes at York in August as a potential target.
Tate said: “The stiff finish nearly found her out as she hit the front with a few strides to go, so maybe a flatter six might suit. The Lowther might be on the cards, or something like that. A flat, quick six furlongs.”
She can step up to Group company
An appearance at Group race level could also be considered for Glorious Game according to Classic-winning rider Murphy, with the victory completing a double for the five-time champion jockey, and trainer Hugo Palmer, following the earlier success of Weekend Roar.
Murphy said: “She is now two from two, and a Listed winner which is great. She is a filly that is bred to get further. She is a filly that I quite like. Just the first furlong going down to post she got a bit lit up as she got a fright from one of the others, but after that she was asleep the rest of the way going down.
“She is a bigger filly than the Tate horse, but I wasn’t sure if she had got there, however I knew that she had put up a good fight and I was hoping that was good enough.
“I think she can take the step up to Group race company, especially when she goes up in trip.”
That step up in class, and trip, could come back at the July Course in August with Palmer earmarking the Group Three Sweet Solera Stakes as an option for the daughter of Pinatubo.
Palmer added: “Oisin said to me afterwards that if he hadn’t won he would have blamed himself and said he should have gone a bit harder. She was a little bit keen early on, wasted some energy, but then it turned into a bit of a sprint. He said she will probably benefit from going up to seven furlongs, but that she was very tough and very honest.
“She remains unbeaten, which is lovely. I remember George Boughey saying to me once, when he worked for me, that if you notice that every horse we have that wins its first two is invariably a Group horse. The obvious race that jumps into my head is the Sweet Solera. She has handled the track, and it is up a furlong.
“It is exciting as she has got a lovely pedigree, and I’m delighted for her owners (the Hall family) as it is only their third horse.”
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