£360,000 filly who did 'blitz breeze' at Doncaster set to debut on day of head-turning newcomers

Beautiful Diamond

British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes, Nottingham 2.50, Wednesday

What’s the story?

From 30,000gns Tattersalls Somerville Sale yearling to £360,000 Goffs UK Breeze-Up starlet - that’s the story.

The juvenile filly went down a storm in Doncaster in April after a stunning display on the track, and connections - she is trained by Karl Burke and will carry the colours of Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum - get the first chance to see if she can translate that to racing at Nottingham, on a day that is manna from heaven for those who like their tasty newcomers. 

Everywhere you look there is something interesting, also including at Newbury, Kempton and the Curragh.

What’s her breeding?

By Cheveley Park sire Twilight Son - winner of the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes and Sprint Cup - the filly is out of a daughter of another top-notch sprinter who also took the Royal Ascot Group 1 plus the July Cup, Lethal Force.

The dam, Babylon Lane, ran only once but has produced the four-time winner Brazen Idol. 

How come she cost so much?

Our sales correspondent James Thomas captured the moments perfectly after the sales ring battle for her services, when she was consigned by Tradewinds Stud, fought mainly between Richard Brown of Blandford Bloodstock, who won out, and Conrad Allen.

Explaining himself, Brown said: “She did an exceptionally quick breeze. We bought a filly off Shane [Power, consignor] called Bright Diamond at Goresbridge last year, she won her maiden at Newmarket by nine lengths and then was third in the Fillies’ Mile, so we’ve had luck buying from Tradewinds. 

“This filly did do a blitz breeze. I’ve often said that if you buy only the fastest breezers you’ll do very badly, but she was very fast.

The Twilight Son-Babylon Lane filly, now named Beautiful Diamond, at Goffs UK in AprilCredit: Sarah Farnsworth

“Sheikh Rashid was very determined to have her, although I have to say that was significantly more than we were expecting to pay. She’s done a phenomenal breeze so let’s hope she’s as good on the racecourse as she was yesterday. She was the fastest in the breeze, which means she beat all the colts, so that’s a very good performance. I’d imagine she’s going to be pointed towards Ascot. I’m delighted to have got her, but that was a bit of a battle. This market is phenomenal and the top end is very strong.” 

It took Power, who runs the Kildare-based operation with his brother Alex, a couple of minutes to compose himself before chatting to the media, but he found a leg to say: “I could have done with a bit of oxygen there! You can’t expect that kind of price, although when you do a breeze like she did you’re hopeful of a good result.”

Who’s she up against?

Of those who have run, Clive Cox (Miss Show Off) and George Boughey (Mantra) possibly look to have the biggest dangers, though other newcomers Ziggy’s Queen, who cost €200,000 from the Arqana breeze-up, and Game Braker, a €120,000 Orby yearling, catch the eye as well.

What else is going on on Wednesday, then?

Newbury stages a rather typical summer card for them, in that it contains four nice maidens, while the King and Queen have a homebred half-sister to Group 2 winner Tactical to look forward to at Kempton,Works Of Art..

The Curragh takes the biscuit though, as its opening maiden (5.00) for two-year-old colts and maidens is a belter, and that’s just with Aidan O’Brien horses. Notably, Auguste Rodin finished second on his debut in the race last year.

First there’s the 2,400,000gns Book 1 yearling Diego Velazquez, a half-brother to Point Lonsdale and Broome who is the pick of Ryan Moore, then there’s the homebred Meriwether Lewis, a son of Quality Road and Kissed By Angels, a Group 3-winning Galileo full-sister to Classic winners Empress Josephine, Minding and Tuesday; and fellow homebred Portland, a Dubawi colt out of Zagitova, a Group 2-placed Galileo half-sister to Garswood 

Have a great day!

Read this next:

'It's what everyone hopes for but it rarely happens' - Quevega's legacy shows no signs of abating