Freyja toughs it out in James Seymour Stakes
Coolmore Stud-based stallion Gleneagles (Galileo) chalked up his eighth stakes winner as the Mark Johnston-trained Freyja (3 f ex Crystal Valkyrie by Danehill) broke through at stakes level in the James Seymour Stakes (Listed, 1m2f) at Newmarket on Saturday.
Last seen winning over a mile at Newmarket, the three-year-old filly relished the step up in trip and the testing conditions to grind down Air Pilot (Zamindar) - who finished second in the Listed contest for the third time - eventually beating him by a neck. Marie’s Diamond (Footstepsinthesand) was another three and a quarter lengths back in third.
Purchased by her trainer for 37,000gns at the Tattersalls December Yearling Sale from the New England Stud draft, the filly is one of 11 winners out of winning Danehill (Danzig) mare Crystal Valkyrie.
Crystal Valkyrie’s progeny is headed by Sandown Classic Trial Stakes (Gr 2, 1m2f) winner Above Average (High Chaparral), who was also placed at Group 2 level in Australia. The mare also produced Group 3 winner Sent From Heaven (Footstepsinthesand), while she is also the grandam of Allegro Fiddle (Native Khan).
Gleneagles’ progeny is headed by Group 2-winning pair Royal Dornoch and Royal Lytham and he stood at Coolmore’s Irish base for a fee of €35,000 in 2020.
