Seraphim Angel proves just divine for Dascombe

Impressive Lily Agnes winner gives trainer a happy homecoming at Chester.

Tom Dascombe made a triumphant return to Chester as Seraphim Angel ran out a clear-cut winner of the CAA Stellar Lily Agnes EBF Conditions Stakes.

The Roodee was Dascombe’s local track for over a decade, having spent 12 years at Michael Owen’s Manor House Stables in Cheshire before the pair parted ways in December 2021, a split the trainer described as a “complete shock”.

Having subsequently relocated to Lambourn with reduced numbers, Dascombe was thrilled to be back in the Chester winner’s enclosure after landing his second Lily Agnes victory after previously striking gold with Quatuor in 2013.

Seraphim Angel was an 11-2 shot to build on the promise of a fourth-place finish on her debut at Newmarket three weeks ago and did so in some style, displaying a smart change of gear under Pierre-Louis Jamin to run down the leaders and score by a length and a half from 18-5 favourite Flicka’s Girl.

“She went to Newmarket, we’re not hard on them at home and she didn’t know what to do when she came off the bridle. She clearly had learnt a lot today,” said Dascombe.

“We’ll see how she is, but she’s got loads of speed, so I would suggest she’ll go to York for the Listed Marygate Stakes (next week).

“She’s won a GBP 20,000 bonus today and the prize-money is always brilliant at Chester, so she’s more than paid for herself already. I love her.”

Dascombe hopes Seraphim Angel’s triumph is the start of a return to better times, adding: “It was difficult moving back to Lambourn with so few horses and then last year we put all our yearlings in a pre-training yard that got strangles, with a lot of the horses we couldn’t give them a winter prep.

“This is the first time in two years that we’ve had a clear run at actually getting them ready and I think we’ve had four runners and that’s my second winner.

“I’m delighted, I love two-year-olds and it’s great to have a winner at Chester in this race. I love this race, I love the people here, who are all so welcoming and friendly.”

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