Angela sounds the right notes in Yarmouth feature

PA Sport Staff
September 18, 2024 4:19 pm

Listed win for Roger Varian-trained mare.

Sound Angela struck at Yarmouth to take the EBF Stallions John Musker Fillies’ Stakes.

Roger Varian’s mare was a 17-2 chance in a field of 14 under Silvestre de Sousa, with the 10-furlong race a familiar contest for the bay as she was fourth in 2022.

She has held her own at Listed level since without winning, with placed performances on turf in France and also on the all-weather in England.

After breaking from stall seven the five-year-old always travelled well, and three furlongs from home began to pick off rivals before taking up the lead at the furlong marker and holding off a challenge from the fast-finishing runner-up Naomi Lapaglia.

Sound Angela takes the feature!
This five-year-old finds a key change of gear and duly delivers under a @SilvDSousa drive in the feature John Musker Fillies’ Stakes at @GTYarmouthRaces for @varianstable! pic.twitter.com/lPL5zNMkhb

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) September 18, 2024

“She responded to every effort, she showed a good, willing attitude today,” De Sousa told Sky Sports Racing of the half-length victory.

“Roger places his horses very well, as you see they have been running very consistently. We have had Group winners, Listed winners, every type of winner.

“She’s a nice filly going forward and I think there’s a bit more to come.

“I think this is the right trip and as long as she gets the pace, she shows a good turn of foot.”

Hold A Dream looks a filly with a future (Nigel French/PA)

The Clive Cox-trained Hold A Dream (5-2) had finished second on her two previous runs and made it third time lucky in the British EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes .

She made all in the hands of Rossa Ryan, holding off Dash Of Azure by a length and a half.

“She did it well, she’s been pleasing and she’s got her head in front which she deserved and she did it with a bit of style,” said Ryan.

“I think she will get further in time but I don’t think she needs to go there just yet, a stiffer six would be fine. She has plenty of speed and when I turned it on she still hasn’t figured out how to drop down and go but that will come, she’s going the right way about it.”

James Webb is beginning to build up a nice profile (Nigel French/PA)

Ryan Moore celebrated his 41st birthday with a double courtesy of smart Juddmonte two-year-old Nightwalker and James Webb (3-1) in the Goffs Orby Handicap, both trained by the retiring Sir Michael Stoute.

His assistant James Savage said of James Webb, who held off Cambridgeshire favourite Roi De France by three-quarters of a length: “He really appreciates fast ground and a level track, he’s always behind the bridle and waiting for company. He could have a nice future.

“There’s no reason he can’t continue to improve. We took a chance in going to Pontefract, but it rained and we now know undulating tracks don’t suit him. He’s not going to be the easiest to place, but he’s a horse with a future.

“Nightwalker is learning on the job too. He ran a nice race today and could be a very nice horse over a mile and a quarter.”