Coto De Caza © Photo Healy Racing
Coto De Caza just held off Irish challenger Grande Marques to win the Newmarket Academy Godolphin Beacon Project Cornwallis Stakes.
Trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, the Sioux Nation filly had been a beaten favourite when third in a Listed Harry Rosebery at Ayr.
She was one of only three in this Group Three prize who raced down the near side, led by the speedy River Seine, and with over a furlong to run Harry Davies sent Coto De Caza (13-2) into the lead.
However, Fozzy Stack’s Grande Marques, who went close in the Firth of Clyde at Ayr, broke out of the bigger group on the far side and threw down a huge challenge.
The pair were separated almost by the width of the track, although there was only three-quarters of a length between them at the line. Kullazain outran his 25-1 odds to finish third but favourite Midnight Thunder disappointed.
Ed Crisford said: “She did that really well and travelled superbly. She came down the stands side and it was hard to know if she was in front or not, but she’s a talented filly and she did it very gamely in the end.
“At Ayr, she just jumped a bit slow and the race got away from her a little bit. She made her ground from the two-furlong pole to the one and by the time she got to the winning line, she had sort of tired a bit.
“She’s a talented filly and it’s just about keeping the lid on her really, as she’s highly strung. If we can keep the lid on her, then she can put up performances like that.
“I think she still has some growing to do and she’s a quick filly, but we will have to see how she winters and how she comes through that and then make a plan from there. I would say she would be done now.”
He added: “You have all those good five-furlong races you can aim at next year, she’s a Group Three winner now and we can aim high now. Whether she ends up in a King’s Stand or something like that, I don’t know, but we will just see how she does over the winter.”
Regarding the runner-up, Stack said: “She’s run another good race and it’s probably a little annoying they weren’t racing closer together.
“It was the same for both of them and whether there is a track bias or not, only time will tell, I suppose. She’s won the race on her side very well and she’s a lovely filly to look forward to next season. If we keep turning up, she will surely put her head in front somewhere.
“There’s a fillies’ Listed race at Cork in the middle of May and we will probably start off there and see where we end up.”
