By Tom Frary
Cheveley Park Stud's Pilaster (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) caused a stir with newsflash sectionals during her impressive six-length success in a novice contest at Kempton and the money duly came in floods ahead of Thursday's G2 Qatar Lillie Langtry S. at Goodwood. One of the least experienced in the line-up for this newly-promoted staying test for fillies and mares and lacking the kind of black-type experience that is typically essential, Cheveley Park Stud's homebred proved that raw class can overcome with a tenacious defeat of fellow 3-year-old Maid Up (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) in a pulsating finale. Kept far enough off the demanding early tempo by rookie sensation David Egan, the homebred who was heavily supported into 11-4 second-favouritism took time to find top gear as Maid Up swamped her under fellow promising young jockey Rob Hornby with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining. Belying greenness to stay in the game, the bay managed to prevail with a final thrust and there was just a short head separating the sophomores at the line before an inquiry into late interference allowed the result to stand. “She stays well, but I thought the ground was on the quick side for her,” commented Egan, who turned professional only on Tuesday, before learning that he would keep his biggest success to date. “She's only had three runs in her life, but stuck her neck out. Pilaster is very special to me–I knew she was special but I didn't think she could be this good. I knew Rob [Hornby] was upsides me and we're great friends, so to beat him is a bitter-sweet victory, but I'll take it.”
Having got off the mark on her 3-year-old bow when beating the subsequent impressive winner and Listed Glasgow S. third Shailene (Ire) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) over 10 furlongs at Chelmsford at the end of May, Pilaster had stamped herself as definite patter-race material with her romp over 12 furlongs on Kempton's Polytrack July 4. This was a big day for David Egan, but he showed maturity in not getting sucked into a testy pace battle between the 5-2 favourite and G3 Pinnacle S. winner God Given (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and Ballydoyle's G3 Munster Oaks winner Flattering (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and that paid dividends. Trainer Roger Varian paid tribute to the jockey afterwards. “He is an old head on young shoulders and gave her a beautiful ride,” he said. “He was so balanced in the saddle and he didn't panic. He held her together and gave her the ride of someone who has been riding in these races a lot longer than he has.”
Pilaster may be asked to take up group 1 duty by the end of the current campaign according to Varian. “She was all class and all guts, as I don't think she was loving the ground but overcame it and has a big heart,” he continued. “Let's hope she comes out of this race sound and healthy, but you would have to consider races like the [Oct. 20 G1 Qipco British Champions] Fillies & Mares at Ascot, back at a mile and a half. She will carry a penalty now in the [G2] Park Hill, there is that at the Leger meeting [at Doncaster Sept. 13]. I think she will come into her own when there is a bit more give in the ground.” Maid Up's trainer Andrew Balding said of the runner-up, “She really had to dig in and is improving with every run. It is a shame she just got chinned. Having started her off over seven furlongs, I just think the step up in trip every time has helped her. We will probably come back here at the end of the month for a three-year-old Group Three [the March S].”
One of the winner's potential targets, the Park Hill, is staged over the G1 St Leger course and distance and it was in that Classic that Pilaster's G3 Bahrain Trophy-placed half-brother Windshear (GB) (Hurricane Run {Ire}) finished fourth in 2014. Their dam Portal won twice at this venue, including in the Listed Alice Keppel S. before finishing third in the G2 Lancashire Oaks and G3 Middleton S. and is a half-sister to Ice Palace (GB) (Polar Falcon) who took the Listed Hoppings S. She in turn is the dam of the Listed Galtres S. and Listed Princess Royal S. winner Queen of Ice (GB) (Selkirk), while another half-sibling Palatial (GB) (Green Desert) produced the G2 Windsor Forest S. and G2 May Hill S. winner and G1 1000 Guineas, G1 Matron S. and G1 Falmouth S. runner-up Spacious (GB) (Nayef) and the MGSW Dimension (GB) (Medicean {GB}). Spacious has thrown the dual listed-placed 3-year-old Gabr (GB) (Intello {Ger}) and it is that sire who is responsible for Portal's 2-year-old filly named Vast (GB).
Thursday, Goodwood, Britain
QATAR LILLIE LANGTRY S.-G2, £300,000, Goodwood, 8-2, 3yo/up, f, 14fT, 2:59.16, gd.
1–PILASTER (GB), 121, f, 3, by Nathaniel (Ire)
1st Dam: Portal (GB) (SW & MGSP-Eng), by Hernando (Fr)
2nd Dam: White Palace (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB)
3rd Dam: Blonde Prospect, by Mr. Prospector0
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-Cheveley Park Stud Ltd (GB); T-Roger Varian; J-David Egan. £170,130. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0, $253,318. *1/2 to Windshear (GB) (Hurricane Run {Ire}), MGSP-Eng, $263,569. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Maid Up (GB), 121, f, 3, Mastercraftsman (Ire)–Complexion (GB), by Hurricane Run (Ire). O/B-Brightwalton Bloodstock Ltd (GB); T-Andrew Balding. £64,500.
3–Star Rock (GB), 132, f, 4, Fastnet Rock (Aus)–Starfala (GB), by Galileo (Ire). O-Ben & Sir Martyn Arbib; B-Arbib Bloodstock Partnership (GB); T-Hugh Morrison. £32,280.
Margins: NO, 1, 3 3/4. Odds: 2.75, 16.00, 11.00.
Also Ran: God Given (GB), Isabel de Urbina (Ire), Precious Ramotswe (GB), Dance The Dream (GB), Flattering (Ire), Jet Streaming (Ire), Maid To Remember (GB), Lady of Shalott (GB), White Chocolate (Ire). Scratched: Lubinka (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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