3 minute read

It was a surprise result in the 5f Listed National Stakes at Sandown on Thursday evening, as Rod Millman’s Anthelia provided first-season sire Supremacy with a first Black Type winner.

Anthelia has been a flagbearer for Yeomanstown Stud's freshman stallion Supremacy, winning a novice event at Bath before stepping up in class for a Salisbury success. She was stepping into mixed company for the first time and was unwanted in the betting, starting 25/1 for the Listed event.

Facing six rivals, Rod Millman's charge was behind horses on the far side rail and took keen hold under jockey Lewis Edmunds in the early stages. Struggling for room with a furlong to run, Edmunds was, perhaps beneficially, forced to wait for a gap before making smooth progress to the lead. She ran out a comfortable one length winner with Richard Hannon's First Legion in second and Eskimo Pie back in third.

Millman said: "We were lucky to get her. We were going to buy one for about fifty thousand guineas and this was one we picked out, but she wasn't really worth fifty thousand guineas I thought so we bought something else.

"She was walking around the ring and there were no bids on her so I got her for six thousand guineas.

"We didn't want to get involved in a duel for the front as we wanted her to finish off. The main thing today was to try and get some black type and as it turned out she was better than we thought she was.

"She would still be learning the game. When she won at Bath she came from the back still being green then it was a four-runner race next time. "This was the first time she had been roughed up in a race and it is very exciting for the future.

"We haven't had one finish at the top of our gallops like her for a very long time."

Paddy Power introduced Anthelia into the Queen Mary Stakes betting at 33/1, but the filly is set to miss Royal Ascot.

He added: "We will probably not go to Royal Ascot. The aim was to miss Royal Ascot and go for the Empress Stakes, but she has won.

"It is very tough taking on the best at Royal Ascot and you don't often have a horse afterwards.

"The Super Sprint is her main aim, but she is a bit better than that and that puts value on her now."