Ascot Aim For Exciting Starspangledbanner Filly

Carla’s Way (2f Starspangledbanner - Sulaalaat, by New Approach) built on the promise shown at the breeze-up sales to make a winning racecourse debut in the fillies’ maiden at Doncaster on Saturday.

Doncaster was also where she breezed for Grove Stud, who subsequently sold the hchesnut to Stroud Coleman for £350,000. Now trained by Simon and Ed Crisford for Shaikh Duaij Al Khalifa, she was sent off favourite for the six and a half furlong contest and led after the first furlong. Pushed along at the two furlong pole, she was ridden approaching the final furlong and kept on well to win by two and a quarter lengths under Jack Mitchell.

Hopes are high for Carla’s Way, with co-trained Ed Crisford later revealing, “I'd say she's Albany-bound. A stiff six furlongs at Ascot will suit her very well.”

“She's a lovely, long-striding filly,” he continued. “She's a Starspangledbanner and we had the very good filly Flotus who was also by him. Hopefully she has a big future”

The daughter of Starspangledbanner becomes the first winner bred by Grove Stud and David Spratt out of Sulaalaat.