Second Stakes Success In As Many Days For Australia

Sir Ron Priestley (3c Australia - Reckoning, by Danehill Dancer) continues to go from strength to strength, as he registered his first black-type success in Saturday’s Group 3 March Stakes at Goodwood.

The Mark Johnston-trained colt was sent off favourite, having won his two previous starts in valuable handicaps and was only beaten once this season, when the ground was softer than ideal. Regular rider Franny Norton made all aboard the chesnut, shaking him up two furlongs out and rode him out to score by a length and a quarter.

Assistant trainer Deirdre Johnston commented after the race, “Franny said when Sir Ron Priestley gets into a battle he knows who is going to come on top. He has a really fantastic attitude and when you see Franny oozing confidence it is lovely to watch. He thrives on a battle and had a little bit left and stayed the trip well.”

Entered in the St Leger, Sir Ron Priestley is owned by Paul Dean and was bought by his trainer for 70,000gns as a yearling. He was bred by Mascalls Stud out of the Listed-placed mare Reckoning, whose two-year-old Subjectivist finished second to Mohican Heights (Australia) in the Listed Stonehenge Stakes the previous day.

Australia stands at Coolmore Stud at a fee of €35,000.