Williams eyeing further American targets for Pandora’s Gift

Filly edged out in Grade Two company at Presque Isle Downs.

Pandora’s Gift may be set for more American adventures after being narrowly denied in the Presque Isle Downs Masters Stakes at the weekend.

Stuart Williams’ Churchill filly set sail for the United States to contest the Grade Two in Erie, Pennsylvania, after an encouraging third-placed run in the Group Three Ballyogan Stakes at Naas in late August.

The three-year-old had three all-weather victories to her name earlier in the year, including the Listed Chelmer Fillies’ Stakes, meaning she was no stranger to a synthetic surface prior to making the journey.

Under Ben Curtis, she ran a brave race at Presque Isle Downs to take up the lead after the turn for home, only to be just pipped at the post by the fast-finishing Roses For Debra.

Despite the marginal loss, Williams was proud of the effort and should the bay take her exertions well, there may be more to come from her transatlantic sojourn.

“I was delighted with the way that she ran, I thought it was a really brave effort,” he said.

“A couple of things didn’t quite go how we anticipated throughout the race but we were still really pleased with her, the winner broke the track record and we were only a neck behind her.

“There are a couple of races we could aim for out there, obviously we’re going to see how she is in the next few days and how she trains.

“Then we will decide whether we want to run in those races, they’re at Keeneland and Aqueduct and at Grade Three and Two level, stakes races.

“The prize money is a lot better than she could be running for here and the ground’s gone for her here too, she really wants fast ground so that was the plan with going out to America, to get her on a quick surface.”

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