Wootton Bassett Mare Flies To Grade 2 Success

Speak Of The Devil (5m Wootton Bassett - Moranda, by Indian Rocket) made a perfect start to her US career when impressing in Saturday’s Grade 2 Churchill Distaff Turf Mile worth $500,000.

A four-time Stakes winner and twice Group 1 placed in her native France, the daughter of Wootton Bassett was sent off favourite on her first start for Chad Brown and Peter Brant. Racing towards the back of the field under Flavien Prat, she made her move turning for home and stormed past her rivals to score by two lengths and three quarters.

“As soon as I called on her, she cut really well,” the winning rider later commented.

Brown has been delighted with his mare’s progression since joining the team and said, “She always trained well, every work continued to train better and better. Every week I just couldn't believe the coat and the weight on her. She looked like a tiger when we took her off the van here.”

Bred H Viallon, Speak Of The Devil sold to Oceanic Bloodstock for €1.95million at Arqana’s December Sale. She will now hope to add to her tally at Grade 1 level, with Brown mentioning the Just A Game Stakes and Diana Stakes as possible targets.