Kameko filly American Gal looking shrewd Mildmay purchase after Listed Chantilly win

Grade 1 producer Granny Franny claimed another international success on Tuesday when her daughter American Gal came out on top in the Listed Prix des Lilas at Chantilly and put herself into contention for Classic honours.

A 25,000gns purchase by Mildmay Bloodstock from Culworth Grounds Farm at Tattersalls Book 3, Ed Walker-trained the filly was stepping up in class after two victories on the all-weather and made all the running under Christophe Soumillon.

Walker suggested that a return to the track next month for the Prix de Diane and Oliver Nash, stud manager for the Mildmay operation in Hampshire, agreed.

"We knew that she’s a good filly and this was a good test. We came over because it looked the perfect race for her," he said.

"I think she can probably stay further and she’s got entries over further. She’s got an entry over here in the Diane as well as at Royal Ascot [in the Coronation]. She’s an exciting filly.

"We’ve had horses with Ed for a while and he trained Perfect Prophet, who was placed in the May Hill and then didn’t train on. We’ve had a bunch with him."

American Gal is out of Ken and Sarah Ramsey's well-travelled Grand Slam mare Granny Franny, who won three races at Turfway Park. She clicked particularly well with Kitten's Joy and produced the Ramseys' Kitten's Dumplings, winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland in 2013.

Her meetings with the same sire also yielded Grade 3 scorer Granny's Kitten and Listed winner Granny Mc's Kitten, dam of black type earner Sister Lou Ann.

Granny Franny was sold for 155,000gns to Tweenhills at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale in 2019 and moved to breeding under the Granny Franny Partnership.

She delivered novice winner Lion Kingdom by Roaring Lion and has done even better with Tweenhills' Guineas hero Kameko, another son of Kitten's Joy, with American Gal. She was the final foal from Granny Franny, who died last year.

American Gal is a third black-type winner from the first crop of Kameko, who has sired Canadian Grade 1 scorer New Century as well as Wimbledon Hawkeye, who took the Group 2 Royal Lodge Stakes and finished fifth in Saturday's 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket.

Read next:

'It's an extreme honour' - a Kentucky family's pride over Ruling Court's British Classic 

Starman sparkling as Lady Iman lands Listed honours at the Curragh