No Nay Never Filly Confirms Star Status In Lowther Stakes
Connections of Zain Claudette (2f No Nay Never - Claudette, by Speightstown) have set their sights on Classic glory after she continued her upward curve in Wednesday’s Group 2 Lowther Stakes.
Impressive when breaking her maiden on the second attempt, the Ismail Mohammed-trained bay prevailed in a thrilling finish to last month’s Group 3 Princess Margaret Stakes and was reunited with Ray Dawson at York. Delivering a strong challenge approaching the final furlong, she was ridden out to beat dual Group winner Sandrine by a length, with another two lengths back to the third.
Mohammed later confirmed his stable star would return in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes, adding, “Zain Claudette is quality. We will keep her at six furlongs this year and she will go for the Guineas next year.”
Owned by Saeed H Al Tayer and bred by Andriy Milovanov, Zain Claudette completed the first leg of a Stakes double on the day for No Nay Never, with Horoscope (3c No Nay Never - Inca Wood, by Timber Country) later landing the Listed Vincent O’Brien Ruby Stakes at Killarney.
Listed-placed earlier this season, the Ballydoyle representative scored over course and distance of a mile last month and was once again partnered by Emmett McNamara on Thursday. Making good headway from three furlongs out, the bay led approaching the final furlong and stayed on well to win by two lengths and three quarters.
Owned by Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Mrs John Magnier, the 300,000gns yearling purchase was bred by Lynch Bages Ltd. He provides an important update for his full-brother catalogued in the upcoming Goffs Orby Sale.