Via Sistina

Connections of Stay Alert (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) have lodged an appeal against the decision of the Curragh stewards not to reverse the placings in Saturday's G1 Pretty Polly S. The Hughie Morrison-trained four-year-old was beaten two lengths by George Boughey's Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in the 10-furlong contest, but the Jamie Spencer-ridden winner hampered a number of rivals in the closing stages. The interference occurred as the field approached the final furlong when Via Sistina hung right into the path of eventual fourth Rosscarbery, with jockey Billy...

George Boughey has pencilled the G1 Falmouth S. at Newmarket in for his Group 1 heroine Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) following her Pretty Polly S. romp at the Curragh on Saturday.  Stepping up to the highest level for the first time following a brilliant display in the Dahlia S. in May, Via Sistina ran out an authoritative winner of the Pretty Polly to provide her trainer with a first ever success on Irish soil in the hands of Jamie Spencer. Boughey says that his stable star deserves even...

Bloodstock agent Stephen Hillen has recalled how Sunday's G2 Dahlia S. winner Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) would not have won any beauty pageants as a yearling but revealed a certain amount of thinking outside of the box has led to him dreaming of big-race riches with the George Boughey-trained mare.  Via Sistina couldn't have been more impressive at Newmarket on Sunday. She travelled into the race like a dream under Jamie Spencer, a good friend of Hillen's, and won going away by six lengths without having to be...

Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) produced a career-best performance to win the G2 Howden Dahlia S. at Newmarket in a style that suggested there could be even bigger things to come from the gigantic five-year-old mare.  Trainer George Boughey revealed prior to the race that he does not have a bigger horse in his yard and that he had been praying for rain in the build-up to the Group 2 contest. Those prayers were answered, with Via Sistina sluicing through the soft ground under a statuesque Jamie Spencer, who,...