Group-race assignments on the horizon for Ornellaia

Adam Morgan
August 15, 2023 9:00 am

Deauville, Curragh and Goodwood options all in the mix.

Ornellaia is set to have her sights raised after opening her account in impressive fashion at Goodwood.

Trained by Dominic Ffrench Davis, the daughter of Night Of Thunder gave a respectable account when third behind subsequent Princess Margaret Stakes winner Sacred Angel in a hot Newmarket maiden on debut.

She then confirmed the promise of that encouraging first appearance and gave a real glimpse of her class when upped to seven furlongs on the Sussex Downs, striking clinically by two lengths.

The Amo Racing-owned youngster is now on course to make the step up to Group company at Deauville on August 19, while she also holds entries for a plethora of top two-year-old contests later in the campaign.

“We went to Newmarket on debut knowing she would benefit from the experience and we were encouraged when the winner went on to win the Princess Margaret,” said Tom Pennington, racing and operations manager for the owners.

“I was a bit disappointed to see the Godolphin filly that finished second (Dubai Treasure) get beat at Yarmouth, but we knew our filly had a good deal of ability and we went to Goodwood pretty confident she would get the job done at seven furlongs being by Night Of Thunder and with there being some cut in the ground. She went and did it nicely.

“She’s in the Prix du Calvados at Deauville and that is on the radar at the minute, but she’s also in a lot of nice races. She’s in the Moyglare (Curragh, September 10), she could go to the Prestige at Goodwood (August 26) at the end of the month and she’s potentially a very nice filly who we think is probably Group class.”