Ascot victor Santosha handed Lowther mission

Molly Hunter
August 4, 2020 9:45 am

Loughnane targeting York with Group Three winner.

Princess Margaret Stakes winner Santosha will head to the Group Two Sky Bet Lowther Stakes at York later this month.

The two-year-old was an impressive winner of the Ascot contest, prevailing by three-quarters of a length from Kevin Ryan’s Hala Hala Hala.

Trainer David Loughnane now has a trip to the Knavesmire planned for the filly, with the six-furlong event on August 20 her target.

Santosha was a 50-1 winner on her debut at Lingfield (Megan Ridgwell/PA)

“The Lowther is the next port of call,” he said.

“She’s had a quiet time since Ascot, but she’s come out of the race really well.”

While Loughnane will stick at six furlongs for the Lowther, the handler believes an eventual step up in trip will benefit the filly.

Her performance at York will determine when that increase in distance happens, with the trainer considering both the six-furlong Cheveley Park Stakes and the seven-furlong Rockfel Stakes – both run at Newmarket – later in the year.

“She’ll be a far better filly when she gets up to seven (furlongs),” he said.

“So the Lowther is our next port of call and from there we’ll decide whether we go down the route of the Cheveley Park, or possibly the Rockfel or something like that. It will all depend on how we get through the Lowther.

“She obviously has enough speed for six (furlongs), but we just feel she’ll be a far better filly over seven, stepping up to a mile next year.

“That’ll do as our plan for now and that’ll take us through to April time.”

Caroline Dale could head to Newbury now (Francesca Altoft/PA)

Loughnane also trains the Princess Margaret third, Caroline Dale.

The Lethal Force filly is set to revert to five furlongs next time, after previously taking third in the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot and winning over that trip at Windsor.

Loughnane has pencilled in the Listed St Hugh’s Filles’ Stakes at Newbury for his charge, with a shot at York’s Group One Nunthorpe Stakes also under consideration.

David Loughnane has high hopes for Caroline Dale too (George Selwyn/PA)

“She’s entered for a Listed five-furlong fillies’ race at Newbury on August 16,” he said.

“She’ll go for that and we’re also considering having an entry for the Nunthorpe. Obviously as a two-year-old she would have a massive weight advantage.

“She’ll be entered for both those races and from there we’ll assess what her best options would be.”