A two-year-old Dundeel filly winning over 1000m on debut bodes well for the future of the John O’Shea-trained Captain Amelia.
Given a gun ride by James McDonald, Captain Amelia was strong to the line in defeating the Sooboog filly Gold Lover by a length, with the well-supported Maurice (JPN) filly Saikono a half-neck back in third.
“I’ll have to hand my tipping licence in as I thought they would be too sharp for her over 1000m,” O’Shea said.
“The one thing I have learned is good horses do good things at their first start, irrespective of what you think.
“There is no doubting her class. We have always thought highly of her, but you can see that she wobbled around the turn, didn’t know quite what to do
“It was a great ride by James. Teaching her at her first start. He had her in a lovely spot and executed well. She has a bright future.
“We will make an assessment, but ideally, we would like to end up in a Percy Sykes (Stakes).”
Bred by Grant Bloodstock and Carpe Diem Asset Management, Captain Amelia was a $160,000 purchase for her trainer from the Silverdale Farm draft at the 2022 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
A half-sister to stakes-placed winner Intrepidacious (Shooting To Win), Captain Amelia is the third foal of the unraced Fastnet Rock mare Courageous Kitty.
A sister to Group II ATC Sweet Embrace Stakes, Group II Percy Sykes Stakes, and Group II MRC Rubiton Stakes inner Anaheed and a half-sister to listed winner Farooq (Frankel), Courageous Kitty is a daughter of the Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes winner Rostova (Testa Rossa).
Courageous Kitty was covered by I Am Invincible last spring.
Dundeel is having a good season with his 2yos. His son Militarize was an impressive winner at Canterbury on debut, and ran a cracker when third behind the Golden Slipper favourites Cylinder and Red Resistance in the Group II Todman Stakes.
