The Group racing continued at York and Leopardstown overnight with Australian breeder John Camilleri of Fairway Thoroughbreds tasting stakes success, Coolmore shuttler Churchill (IRE) posting a new Group winner and the Group II Yorkshire Cup Stakes won by a stayer with Melbourne Cup aspirations.
The Listed York Oaks Farm Stables Stakes (1m) was won by promising three year-old Kingman filly Sounds of Heaven, who did best in a thrilling finish to post a narrow short head win and has now two of three starts.
Trained by Jessica Harrington and ridden by Ronan Whelan, Sounds of Heaven hold entries for several upcoming Group I races.
“On paper it looked a nice race, there were a lot of unexposed fillies, none more so than Sounds of Heaven. I think she rode like a filly who's going to improve a huge amount for that,” said Ronan Whelan.
“I got there a little bit soon and she got a little bit lonely, she had a blow and there's a lot more to come from her. As the year goes on she'll get stronger and she can step up in trip. She's a credit to herself and the team, she's an exciting filly.”
Sounds of Heaven was bred by Fairway Thoroughbreds and sold as a yearling at Tattersalls October for 650,000 guineas with John Camilleri remaining in the ownership along with Craig Bernick (Glen Hill Farm) in whose colours she runs.
Sounds of Heaven is a half-sister to stakes-placed Voice of Angels and is the second foal from blue-blood Galileo mare Ring the Bell, a sibling to Group I winners The United States, Hermosa, Hydrangea and Fire Lily from Group II winning blue hen Beauty is Truth.
She is the 59th stakes-winner for Kingman and is his sixth from a daughter of Galileo, the nick running at 11% SW to runner with 36 winners from 52 runners.
Ring the Bell is shaping as an exceptional producer for Fairway Thoroughbreds and has a two year-old colt by Dubawi that sold for 1.5million guineas last year at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale when bought by Godolphin.
The Group III Saval Beg Levmoss Stakes (1m6f) was won by four year-old Churchill gelding Yashin, who was having his first run this year and turned in a career best performance to score a head win.
Trained by Jessica Harrington, he has won three of nine starts and looks set for his best season so far.
“Yashin will have to go up a bit to get to the Melbourne Cup, but he stays well and he has to have good ground. He probably likes going left-handed too. He was hung wide and keen all the way there. Shane said he really had no right to pick up and win like he did. I know it was only a short head but he was always getting there,” said Jessica Harrington.
Bred and raced by Gerry Byrne, Yashin is the best of two winners from unraced Dansili mare Mirdhak, a daughter of Group III winner Muthabara.
He is the 11th stakes-winner for Churchill and is his third this week following on from Blue Rose Cen and The Foxes. The champion son of Galileo stands at Coolmore Australia this spring at a fee of $22,000.
The Group II Yorkshire Cup Stakes (1m6f) was won by Mastercraftsman stayer Giavellotto, with his trainer Marco Botti also thinking Melbourne Cup.
It was the first stakes win for the four year-old who was third in the Group I StLGer last year and has the overall record of four wins and four placings from 10 starts.
“Giavellotto came here in very good order and we thought he would run a big race. We've always thought he is a proper stayer. The Gold Cup wouldn't be the race for him as he needs a galloping track. He stays two miles without a doubt so we'll sit down with the owner and map out a plan. The Melbourne Cup might be on the agenda,” said Marco Botti.
Giavellotto is the 96th stakes-winner for Mastercraftsman and is the best of five winenrs from Gerika, an winning sibling to stakes-winners Cromo, Right Connection and Donoma.
