By Sean Cronin
Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's Waardah (Postponed), a G1 Yorkshire Oaks entry, notched a black-type breakthrough at Goodwood in June and revisited the Sussex Downs venue to claim a career high with a battling victory in Saturday's 14-furlong G2 Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes.
“Callum [Rodriguez] said Waardah switched off great and, in hindsight, he probably got there a little bit too soon,” explained Owen Burrows. “She is inexperienced, but very honest, and we are still learning about her. When the runner-up came to her, I thought she was going to get outstayed, but in the last half-furlong she was going away again. She will have no trouble going back to a mile-and-a-half, so she is an exciting filly. She's always shown up well at home, so it was no surprise she won first time up, even though it was only a four-runner race. She was a bit keen at home, that's why I ran her over a mile first time, I just needed to get that buzz out of her. She is in the Yorkshire Oaks, although I think it is important that she gets a little bit of juice in the ground. We will see how she comes out of this, but I think Ascot at the end of the year for the [G1 British Champions] Fillies & Mares would be right up her street. We were patient with her last year. With her pedigree, we knew that we were going to be going distances. I think she can only get better as the year goes on, and even next year.”
The Listed Agnes Keyser Fillies' Stakes victrix, sent postward as the well-backed 7-2 second choice, employed patient tactics in rear for most of this marathon trip. Making smooth headway on the bridle in the straight, she seized control approaching the quarter-mile marker and came under a late drive to outstay the rallying Danielle (Cracksman) by 3/4-of-a-length in a thrilling duel. Irish challenger Goodie Two Shoes (Fastnet Rock), who outbobbed Term Of Endearment (Sea The Moon) by a nose, finished 4 1/4 lengths adrift in third.
A cracking battle ⚔️
Waardah toughs it out to get the better of Danielle in the G2 @Qatar_Racing Lillie Langtry Stakes.
A progressive 3yo filly for the @OwenBurrowsRace team to go to war with 💛🖤@CallumRodrigue4 | @Goodwood_Races pic.twitter.com/U3mYjyGLN4
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 2, 2025
Pedigree Notes
Waardah is the second of four foals and lone scorer out of a half-sister G3 UAE Oaks and Listed UAE 1000 Guineas placegetter Feedyah (Street Cry) and the multiple stakes-placed Red Mist (Frankel). Feedyah, in turn, is the dam of Listed Coral Marathon Aaddeey (New Approach). The March-foaled bay, who hails from the family of G1 Melbourne Cup hero Fiorente (Monsun) and multiple Group 1-winning champion Islington (Sadler's Wells), is kin to the unraced 2-year-old filly Hamdania (Space Blues) and a yearling filly by Dandy Man.
Saturday, Goodwood, Britain
QATAR LILLIE LANGTRY STAKES-G2, £300,000, Goodwood, 8-2, 3yo/up, f, 14fT, 3:04.08, g/s.
1–WAARDAH (IRE), 125, f, 3, by Postponed (Ire)
1st Dam: Neesaan (GB), by New Approach (Ire)
2nd Dam: Red Dune (Ire), by Red Ransom
3rd Dam: Desert Beauty (Ire), by Green Desert
1ST GROUP WIN. O-Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum; B-Godolphin; T-Owen Burrows; J-Callum Rodriguez. £170,130. Lifetime Record: 5-3-0-0, $290,429. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Danielle (GB), 135, f, 4, Cracksman (GB)–Crimson Ribbon, by Lemon Drop Kid. O-A E Oppenheimer; B-Hascombe & Valiant Stud Ltd; T-John & Thady Gosden. £64,500.
3–Goodie Two Shoes (Ire), 135, m, 6, Fastnet Rock (Aus)–Fits Like A Glove (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). O-John P McManus; B-Mrs Noreen McManus; T-Joseph O'Brien. £32,280.
Margins: 3/4, 4 1/4, NO. Odds: 3.50, 10.00, 4.00.
Also Ran: Term Of Endearment (GB), Royal Entry (Ire), Sueno (Ire), Allonsy (GB), Serenity Prayer (Ire).
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
