LAURENTIA won a mile handicap at Chelmsford last night under George Downing at the rewarding odds of 20/1, her second victory in her last three starts, both coming on the all-weather.
There was a good pace on which suited her and settled towards the back of midfield, she was switched right and wide into the straight, was ridden over a furlong from home, challenged for second inside the final furlong and led half a furlong from home, running on. At the line, she was one and a quarter lengths up on the runner-up and joint-favourite, Amor Fati.
Two starts back on Lingfield’s all-weather, she won an ordinary looking Classified Stakes over a mile by one and three quarter lengths and was jacked up a whopping 9lbs for her troubles. Next time out at Yarmouth she ran no sort of race but the soft ground probably didn’t help and she seemed much happier back on the all-weather.
Congratulations to owners, Linton Doolan, Brian Edwards and Matt Hayes, who only paid 8,000 guineas for the daughter of Iffraaj at the Newmarket Sales in February of last year. Originally she was sold as a yearling for 95,000 guineas, so this is looking like money well spent by her current owners! They were also quite pleased with the 20/1 starting price!
The filly will go up again in the handicap next week that’s for sure. The time of this, the first division of the handicap was quicker than the second and she’s won nicely. However, the 4yo has only had 12 starts in her career and her profile, two wins and two places from her last seven races shows that she’s in good form and possibly on an upward curve. She certainly seems to appreciate an artificial surface with all her form coming on four different all-weather tracks. Hopefully her owners can enjoy some more success with their pride and joy during the autumn.