G1 King's Stand Stakes Goal for Ladies Church

A Group II winning sprinter last year, Ladies Church (4m Churchill x Rioticism, by Rio de la Plata) may have bigger fish to fry this year after a brilliant return to win the Listed Sole Power Sprint Stakes (5f) at Naas.

The Johnny Murtagh trained mare had two runs in Dubai earlier this year so had some residual fitness for this assignment and proved far too good, galloping clear to win by three lengths.

“Ladies Church is a filly we always thought the world of. The ground is key and the faster they go the better. No horse can take her off the bridle. When she gets to the front she can prick her ears so we put the cheekpieces on to help her. The King's Stand is next,” Johnny Murtagh said.

Purchased for 160,000 pounds from the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale by her trainer and Peter Nolan Bloodstock, Ladies Church made 62,000 guineas at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale the year before. Ladies Church is the first foal for stakes-winning Rio de la Plata mare Rioticism and has the overall record of four wins and four placings from 12 starts.

Ladies Church continues a hot run for her sire Churchill, who shuttles back to Australia this spring at a fee of $22,000.

Ladies Church is the fourth stakes-winner for Churchill in the past week joining Group I winner Blue Rose Cen, Group II winner The Foxes and Group III winner Yashin.