Sophia’s Starlight connections happy to see filly fulfilling her promise

Great St Wilfrid winner will have more big targets on the horizon.

Sophia’s Starlight could be set for bigger and better objectives having continued her upwards curve when landing the William Hill Great St Wilfrid on Saturday.

Grant Tuer’s progressive filly has always been held in lofty regard by connections, but it has been during this season she has proven it on track, racking up five victories in nine starts and rising over 20lb in the handicap since shedding her maiden status at Wolverhampton in May.

Still heading in the right direction following her triumph under Sam James in the prestigious Ripon handicap, the daughter of Hunter’s Light does have the option of a quick return to action at York later this week, where she holds an entry for Thursday’s British EBF 40th Anniversary Fillies’ Handicap.

However, Nick Bradley, managing director of the syndicate that carries his name, envisages Sophia’s Starlight skipping that he eyes a busy autumn that will see the three-year-old stepping up in class to black-type contests.

He said: “She could go to York later this week, but looking at the weather forecast I don’t think she will.

“But she will have Group and Listed targets between now and the end of the year and she’s going to have a busy September and October.

“I thought something like the Challenge Stakes (Newmarket, October 13) could be a long-term aim and the five-and-a-half (furlong) fillies’ only Listed race at Ayr (Arran Scottish Sprint EBF Fillies’ Stakes, Sept 22) could be a target for her as well – it’s a race we won the other year with Dandalla.”

It may have taken Sophia’s Starlight slightly longer than connections imagined to reach the level at which she now operates, but credit has to be given to the perseverance of Tuer and his team following a frightening incident in the stalls during the early stages of her career.

“She’s a very smart filly and I remember this time last year standing at the Ebor thinking this thing is a certainty in a novice at Carlisle and then she went under the stalls,” continued Bradley.

“She went under the stalls and then every time she went in the stalls after that she was freaking out and starting her races with an incredibly high heart rate.

“Grant had said before then she was probably the best horse he’d ever trained and he’s now been proved right.

“She went off and did a lot of stalls work and now we’ve got to the stage where we can load her with a hood and she’s much more relaxed about it.

“I think she’s ground dependent a little bit so we went to Ripon and it was just what we needed, we were delighted.”

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