Ladies Church and Ben Coen © Photo Healy Racing
Johnny Murtagh reports Ladies Church on course for the valuable Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan next month following a very promising reappearance recently in Dubai.
The daughter of Churchill landed the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh last summer and was only just denied another Group 2 success when beaten a short-head by Miqyaas in the Blue Point Sprint on February 10.
Murtagh was delighted with that recent Meydan effort and told Racing TV, “I sent four out to Dubai and they have been running ok and improving from their first run. I thought Ladies Church would probably need the run but she really came alive when going onto the track and is naturally fit.
“She was drawn maybe on the wrong side but she followed the favourite into it and Ben (Coen) thought he had a great chance. She blew up about half a furlong out but got her second wind and just missed.
“World Cup night was always the plan so hopefully she will be able to go on and improve from that run stepping up to six furlongs.
“The main thing about her is fast ground and she loves a quick pace to run at.
“It’s always hard for three-year-olds in sprints but she did well and won a Group 2 at the Curragh. She didn’t run much and I was training her for the Breeders Cup and she didn’t get in.
“She has a year under her belt now and she’s quick. We’ll know after the World Cup and we’ll rock on to Ascot after that.”
