Consistent Starspangledbanner Filly Not For Catching

Dense Star (2f Starspangledbanner - Condensed, by Dansili) gained overdue reward for her remarkable consistency when racing clear in Thursday’s sprint maiden at Navan.

The Joseph O’Brien-trained filly had finished in the first four on all of her previous starts, including in the Listed Marwell Stakes and when finishing second to subsequent Group 3 winner Steel Bull. Mikey Sheehy rode the bay to dispute the lead, gaining a narrow advantage from halfway and asked his mount to quicken a furlong and a half out. Ridden clear inside the final furlong, she scored by six lengths in comfortable fashion.

Speaking after the race, assistant trainer Brendan Powell said, “She's not the biggest in the world but she's tough - that's her seventh run of the season. Mikey (Sheehy) said today she jumped out, travelled great and when he asked her she picked up well.”

On future plans, he added, “She's rated 94 and we'll see what happens now. With the pedigrees that these fillies have, it's important to get some black-type.”

Owned by the Annus Mirabilis Syndicate, Dense Star was bred by Thomas Hore out of a half-sister to two Stakes horses. The daughter of Starspangledbanner provides an important update for her full-brother catalogued in the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale.