Stellar run for St Mark's Basilica's first crop continues as Aylin lands Group 2 honours

Aylin put the seal on a promising month for Coolmore's St Mark's Basilica as she became his first Group winner in Thursday's Betfred May Hill Stakes at Doncaster

At 600,000gns, the Yeomanstown Stud-bred filly was one of the three most expensive members of the sire's first crop of yearlings to be sold when knocked down to a partnership of Al Shaqab and Amo Racing at Tattersalls Book 2.

Aylin is out of the Listed Bosra Sham Stakes winner Angelic Light, by Dark Angel, who was purchased by Yeomanstown from trainer Michael O'Callaghan for 165,000gns at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale in 2019 and has produced three winners from as many foals to have raced.

Bloodstock agent Alex Elliott, who signed for Aylin, said that day: "She’s a phenomenal 'physical', as you can imagine. She’s by a first-crop sire so there’s a bit of an unknown there, but she’s out of a fast Dark Angel mare and, physically, the whole team agreed she was giving us the [2024 Albany winner] Fairy Godmother vibes."

St Mark's Basilica has produced 12 winners, including one in Japan, and has had some eye-catching successes in just the last few days including runaway Ascot winner El Vamos. The five-time Group 1 winner by Siyouni commanded a a fee of €40,000 this year.

While Angelic Light does not have a yearling – next in line is a February-born Galiway colt foal – there were some handy catalogue updates elsewhere on the card.

Santorini Star is a half-sister to Group 1 winner DreamloperCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Livia's Dream is a mare who has kept on giving for Olivia Hoare, winning a Listed race in her colours and then breeding her the Group 1 Prix du Moulin and Prix d'Ispahan winner Dreamloper, who was later sold to Katsumi Yoshida for $2,700,000 at Keeneland.

Dreamloper's Golden Horn half-sister Santorini Star continued her ascent up the ladder in the Group 2 Park Hill Stakes as a 290,000gns Tattersalls Book 1 purchase by trainer William Haggas for the in-form Tony Bloom and Ian McAleavy partnership. Livia's Dream's Sea The Stars yearling filly has been catalogued as lot 238 in Book 1 and will be offered through Mount Coote Stud.

"She's hopefully going to be a broodmare for Tony Bloom and Ian McAleavy, this is really important and great for Golden Horn too," Haggas' wife Maureen told Sky Sports Racing.

Calendar Girl had earlier paid for herself and every possible future need as she pounced late under Saffie Osborne in the Weatherbys Scientific £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes.

Kennet Valley and the Lillingston Bloodstock team – the agency of Mount Coote's Luke Lillingston – paid just 45,000gns at Tattersalls Book 2 to secure the daughter of Advertise from Hascombe & Valiant Stud, with trainer Owen Burrows sounding confident she will earn black type in time.

The dam, Plucky Lass, has already produced recent Cork Listed runner-up Gutsy Girl and has a Showcasing colt in Book 2 this time around. He is catalogued as lot 1090. 

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