Via Sistina | Horse Racing Free Tips

Connections Of Stay Alert Lodge Pretty Polly Appeal

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 Lee forced to check his mount, while the Ronan Whelan-ridden Stay Alert was also tightened up by the winner.

While the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board confirmed Spencer has appealed the severity of the six-day ban for careless riding he received following the race, Morrison felt the incident had proved crucial to the result.

He said, “The connections have appealed. As he (Spencer) pulled that horse out, it was hanging right. He then continued to ride it for possibly a furlong and he didn't make any correction until he'd seriously endangered two horses and two jockeys.

“If they can tell me they didn't feel endangered, then end of story. It was hanging all the way and should have been corrected at least 100 metres before the incidents took place.

“When you get stopped in your run when you are quickening up and you have 100 yards to make up three lengths, you are lucky to make up one.

“Any other sport and you'd be thrown out, more so because the fourth horse (Rosscarbery) was prevented from coming third, which was quite significant when you are talking about a Group One.”

Stay Alert had won the G3 Legacy Cup at Newbury in September and had dropped back in trip on her seasonal bow when fifth to Free Wind in the Middleton at York in May.

Equipped with a first-time tongue strap, she travelled well and showed marked improvement at the Curragh, and Morrison added, “It helped her, made her concentrate and did everything we expected it to do. I don't think she has a wind issue, it just helped her concentrate on the job.

“She showed how good she is. She is in the Yorkshire Oaks and there are a couple of races in France. Those are in the middle of August-there is nothing else for her.

“She could go for a colts' race somewhere, that might be tempting, but you never know what the ground will be like in Germany, and you'd like to win a big race before you go to France.

“This was the target for her all year, so it was frustrating. We got everything right, but hit the crossbar. We'd like to win a good one and we'd like a clean fight as well.”

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Falmouth Stakes The Target For Boughey’s Via Sistina

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 more praise given the underfoot conditions were not as testing as connections had hoped.

“She was very good and confirmed what we hoped,” he said. “When the rain didn't come it was in the balance whether she was going to start and huge credit to the owner Steve Hillen for making the call and wanting to run, because she will be better on slower ground.

“She's come out of the race in great shape and I couldn't be happier with her really. She showed a real turn of foot on ground that was possibly too fast for her.

“I'm delighted for Steve and Becky. Steve bought her and has nurtured her all the way along. Joe Tuite (former trainer) had a massive part to play and I've just been the lucky recipient that's got her when she's coming to her peak.

“To go over there and beat them in one of their top fillies-only Group One races was a huge thrill.”

While the ground will remain a key a factor in future plans for Via Sistina, Boughey views the Falmouth on July 14 as a logical next port of call.

He said, “I haven't trained a horse who is quite so trip-versatile of any quality really. I wouldn't mind bringing her back to a mile, but Jamie said she stays well and you could almost go up in trip.

“The options are very open for her, but we are going to work towards the Falmouth-that's the plan at the moment-because it can come up soft the week of the July meeting.

“It's drying ground in Newmarket at the moment, but we're going to work with that in mind. If we were to get rain and she was in good form, we'd love to turn up for Newmarket.

“We'll just continue to do what's right for her really. If there's any firm in the description she certainly won't be running, but at least we know she's a Group One winner on good ground now.”

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“She Looked Like A Moose At The Sales” – Group 1 Plans For 5k Purchase

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 asked too many questions in the saddle.

It was a performance that screamed quality and Hillen, who is better known for finding top-notch prospects for clients in his role as a bloodstock agent, is being rewarded for playing the long game with the horse he picked up for just 5,000gns at the December Yearling Sales in 2019.

“She was a giant as a yearling,” Hillen recalled. “She is probably close to 17 hh at present. But she looked like a moose at the sales–big and backward.

“Those Fastnet Rocks can be an acquired taste sometimes but she has grown into herself and you wouldn't call her an unattractive mare now.”

He added, “I often buy a filly one year and flip it the next and we've raced good fillies like Haggle (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) before.

“There have been several fillies we have done the job with, in that we bought them without black-type and, once we got it, sold them on the following year.

“Listen, I like to race them and, if I spot something I like and have no order to fill, I'll just buy it within reason.”

Via Sistina races in the colours of Hillen's wife Becky. Those purple and pink silks were also carried by Haggle, Four White Socks (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and Banzari (GB) (Motivator {GB}), while Hillen has been involved with classy fillies Statement (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) and La Dragontea (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) as well.

Hillen is in little doubt that there is more to come from his latest runner and confirmed that Via Sistina will not be sold on until the end of this campaign at least. The G1 Pretty Polly S. awaits.

He said, “Jamie was very positive about her but he's always loved that filly ever since he got on her. She'd been threatening to do something like that but you just don't expect it. Jamie even went to Toulouse to ride her last year.

“Ordinarily, he wouldn't go all the way there for a Group 3, but I was just fearful if something went wrong and I really wanted to win a Group race with her. It was at the end of the year, too, which is why she may not have been as impressive as she can be that day, and she was also a bit keen on a tight track.”

Hillen added, “That was only her ninth start on Sunday-some horses run nine times in a year. We'll probably race her until the end of the year at least and then make a plan. We're going to try and have a bit of fun with her. If the ground is on the slow side, she'll probably go to the Pretty Polly. She's a Group 2 winner now so the natural step is to go and try and win a Group 1. It's exciting. It would be a dream to win a Group 1 with her.”

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Boughey’s Via Sistina Sluices Up In The Dahlia Stakes At Newmarket

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, when crouching a little lower in the saddle just over a furlong from the finish, received a generous response from the 5-2 favourite.

In the end, Via Sistina pulled six lengths clear of Al Husn (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) with Astral Beau (GB) (Brazen Beau {Aus}) back in third. Last year's G1 Falmouth S. winner Prosperous Voyage (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) finished a disappointing fifth on her comeback.

“She's very effective on that ground,” Spencer said afterwards. “I was hoping that it would rain enough that it was almost bottomless. She just floats on it and I got into the race very easily at the half-mile pole. I probably got there a mile too soon but, back a furlong, I thought we'd get going early.”

Spencer added, “Sheikh [Stephen] Hillen wanted me to be on the pace. Stephen [bloodstock agent and owner] has been busy and is doing well. She was a cheap purchase so she is worth a little bit more than what he paid for her now.

“We discussed it and Stephen said that, even if he [Boughey] runs her five times this year, just run her when the conditions are to suit and she will repay the patience. But she's a Group 3 and a Group 2 winner now and she's getting there. Especially against her own sex, if she gets soft ground, she's one to look forward to for the summer.”

Hillen bought Via Sistina for just 5,000gns at the December Sale at Tattersalls in 2019 as a yearling. She races in his wife Becky's purple and pink colours.

Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) is the leading performer for the unraced Nigh (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), herself kin to the G1 Golden Jubilee S. and G1 Nunthorpe S. hero Kingsgate Native (Ire) (Mujadil) and to the Listed Jazzy S. runner-up Vanishing Grey (Ire) (Verglas {Ire}), in turn the dam of the Listed Prix Millkom victor and G2 Zabeel Mile runner-up First Contact (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}).

Her third dam La Pellegrina (Ire) (Be My Guest) is a half-sister to the G1 One Thousand Guineas heroine Las Meninas (Ire) (Glenstal) as well as to the then Listed Pokallob victor Spanish Run (Commanche Run {GB}) and the mare Schlefalora (GB) (Mas Media {GB}), herself the second dam of the G2 Queen Mary S. and G2 Prix Robert Papin victrix Signora Cabello (Ire) (Camacho {GB}).

Nigh also has a 3-y-o filly by Bated Breath (GB) named Fougere (GB), an as yet unnamed 2-y-o colt by Ten Sovereigns (Ire) and a yearling full-sister to Via Sistina.

Sunday, Newmarket, Britain
HOWDEN DAHLIA S.-G2, £125,000, Newmarket, 5-7, 4yo/up, f, 9fT, 1:51.49, sf.
1–VIA SISTINA (IRE), 128, m, 5, by Fastnet Rock (Aus)
1st Dam: Nigh (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Native Force (Ire), by Indian Ridge (Ire)
3rd Dam: La Pellegrina (Ire), by Be My Guest
(5,000gns Ylg '19 TADEYG). O-Mrs R G Hillen; B-Laundry Cottage Stud Farm (IRE); T-George Boughey; J-Jamie Spencer. £70,888. Lifetime Record: GSW-Fr, 9-4-1-1, $196,542. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Al Husn (Ire), 128, f, 4, Dubawi (Ire)–Hadaatha (Ire), by Sea The Stars (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O/B-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd (IRE); T-Roger Varian. £26,875.
3–Astral Beau (GB), 128, f, 4, Brazen Beau (Aus)–Asteroidea (GB), by Sea The Stars (Ire). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Family Sly; B-M H Sly & Mrs P M Sly (GB); T-Pam Sly. £13,450.
Margins: 6, 3/4, 1 3/4. Odds: 2.50, 8.00, 8.50.
Also Ran: Life In Motion (Ire), Prosperous Voyage (Ire), With The Moonlight (Ire), Random Harvest (Ire), Hidden Dimples (Ire), Shaara (GB).

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