Seven-figure Lope De Vega half-sister to Battaash set for Beverley debut on Thursday

Go Big Or Go Home 

Beverley, 2.00, Thursday, EBF Fillies' Novice Stakes 

What's the story?

Go Big Or Go Home was one of the most expensive yearlings purchased by Richard Knight on behalf of Derby-winning owner Saleh Al Homaizi at the sales last year, when payment from the client was not forthcoming, 

Go Big Or Go Home ended up being resold, and the juvenile has quite the pedigree to go with her price tag. 

She went through the Park Paddocks sales ring at Tattersalls Book 1 last October on behalf of breeder Ballyphilip Stud, being knocked down to Knight for a cool 1,800,000gns. 

So what's this pedigree then? 

The two-year-old is the latest progeny of the lowly rated but ultimately highly successful broodmare Anna Law, a daughter of Lawman. 

Anna Law's two winners are headed by a bona fide champion sprinter in Battaash, a mercurial son of Dark Angel whose victories for Shadwell and Charlie Hills included two Nunthorpes, an Abbaye, the King's Stand and four King George Stakes. 

Battaash and the late Sheikh Hamdan after his win in the 2019 Nunthorpe at YorkCredit: Edward Whitaker

Another son of Dark Angel in The Antarctic has continued to keep Anna Law's name in the headlines, for all he perhaps lacks the brilliance of his brother. A 750,000gns purchase by MV Magnier from Book 1 in 2021, he won the Group 3 Prix de Cabourg at two last year and also placed twice behind stablemate Blackbeard in the Prix Morny and Middle Park Stakes. He won the Group 3 Lacken Stakes at Naas in May this term.

Anna Law has a yearling colt by Battaash's old nemesis and leading first-season sire Blue Point and was among the phenomenal harem that visited Frankel this year. 

Who does she face on the Westwood? 

Among her six rivals is the Kevin Ryan newcomer Bint Alfella, by Too Darn Hot and out of Italian Group winner Rainbow Royal. 

The winning Princess Alex, meanwhile, is by Dark Angel and out of a Juddmonte-bred winning Oasis Dream half-sister to Criterium de Saint-Cloud winner Epicuris and Group 3 Darley Stakes second Indeed. 

Read more

'They both have the right profiles' - full steam ahead for Haras d’Etreham's young sires as pair face first test at Arqana