Anshoda Captures Prestige, Earns Breeders' Cup Berth

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Anshoda Captures Prestige, Earns Breeders' Cup Berth
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Photo: Courtesy Goodwood Racecourse/Sam Stephenson
Anshoda wins the Prestige Stakes at Goodwood Racecourse

Team Valor and Gary Barber’s Anshoda , a recent purchase for connections, won the Aug. 24 Prestige Fillies Stakes (G3) at Goodwood Racecourse. With her victory in the seven-furlong showpiece for 2-year-old fillies, Anshoda earned an automatic starting position into the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) through the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In.

Following heavy overnight rain that left the going soft, there were four scratches, including the two at the top of the betting in Formal and Tabiti. A final field of seven went to post with the market headed by the experienced Royalty Bay  at 5-2.

Fresh from her heroics aboard Bradsell  in the Nunthorpe Stakes (G1) at York Aug. 23, Hollie Doyle sent her mount Duty First  to the lead through the race's early stages. Given the testing conditions, the pace was slow, with Anshoda and Biniorella Bay positioned just behind the leader. As the race turned into the straight, Doyle led the field across to the stand-side rail, as is customary when the ground is soft, in what looked a race-winning move. However, under a firm Billy Loughnane drive, Anshoda picked up strongly and powered clear of her rivals to give his father, trainer David Loughnane, a memorable victory.

Duty First finished second, 1 3/4 lengths behind the winner. The Aidan O’Brien-trained Merrily  was denied a clear run but stayed on to be a neck behind in third.

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Anshoda was purchased for only 5,000 guineas (US$6,578) back in May for owner Nawaf Almutairi before winning on debut and finishing an excellent second in the listed Star Stakes at Sandown. That run prompted Team Valor International and Gary Barber to buy the 2-year-old daughter of Inns of Court . Her connections can now dream of Breeders’ Cup glory after punching a ticket into the Breeders’ Cup.

Eighteen-year-old Billy Loughnane is enjoying a breakthrough season in the saddle after wins at Royal Ascot and York’s Ebor Festival. Impressed by his filly’s performance, he said: “She’s small but she tries very hard. She was motoring towards the end of the race and was strong at the line. She’ll get further in time and her light frame helped her in what was very soft ground.”

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders’ Cup will pay the entry fees for Anshoda in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Breeders’ Cup will also provide a travel allowance for all starters outside North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders’ Cup program by the pre-entry deadline of Oct. 21 to receive the rewards.

Breeders' Cup Challenge Series