Trainer Johnny Murtagh believes his speedy filly Lady’s Church ‘deserves place’ in the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot after an eye-catching victory in the Listed Sole Power Sprint Stakes at Naas on Sunday.
Trainer Johnny Murtagh believes his speedy filly Lady's Church 'deserves place' in the Group 1 King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot after an eye-catching victory in the Listed Sole Power Sprint Stakes at Naas on Sunday.
A Listed winner over the same course and distance as a juvenile, Lady's Church was placed prominently by jockey Ben Coen and ran on well in the closing stages to secure victory by three-lengths ahead of the 108-rated Moss Tucker.
The four-year-old has shown ability throughout her career and added another Black Type victory last year, when winning the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh. Yet her two attempts at Group 1 level have not been successful. She did not appear to enjoy the ground and was short of room in the closing stages in the Group 1 Flying Five Stakes in September and suffered a bump coming out of the stalls in the Group 1 Al Quoz Stakes in March.
Speaking about Lady's Church's time in Dubai, Murtagh said, "We think the world of this filly and brought her to Dubai during the winter as she likes fast ground.
"She was second in a Group two first time out there and I thought she had a real chance on World Cup night. It didn't happen for some reason, she got a bit of a bump out of the stalls. Ben said she was on the bridle but just didn't finish off. I think she was on the wrong side of the track as well.
Regarding her run at Naas, he added, "Since she's come home her work has been good. It's hard for three-year-olds to compete in top sprints, she's four now and I was hoping she'd do something like that today."
"We're delighted and I think she deserves her place in the King's Stand.
"Even in her work, she works behind, goes to the front and pulls up. I put the cheekpieces on today just to freshen her up and if she did get to the front it might help Ben. She probably didn't need them today, but it was something different to help her.
"Ben said she pulled up in front and as soon as Billy Lee came to her pulling up she went again.
Johnny Murtagh enjoyed plenty of success as a jockey at Royal Ascot and despite having trained a winner there (Create Belief in the 2021 Sandringham Stakes Handicap), he is still searching for a Group victory at the meeting.
Murtagh is hopeful Lady's Church could deliver, "We think a lot of her and turned down a lot of money for her. It's hard to get Group One horses and we think we have one.
"Anyone who has ridden her work always thought she was a high-class filly and could be the real deal. It's a good start to the season, it's a big step up to the next level but five furlongs on fast ground at Ascot is made for her."
"She reminds me a little bit of Sole Power, she's very responsive. She's very relaxed in behind, but if you sneeze on her she quickens up really well and does things really quickly.
"There are lots of good horses, but the great ones can sit in behind and when you pull them out you just squeeze them and they accelerate.
"It's like putting your foot on the accelerator. Not a lot of them have it, that's why the Group One horses are the Group One horses."
