More Group success for Zoffany with Dolce Strega
The 2016 European Flat season is still in its infancy but Zoffany notched his third stakes winner of the year on Monday when Dolce Strega (3f Zoffany-New Plays, by Oratorio) came out on top at the Curragh.
Renzo Forni’s home-bred, an easy conditions race winner at Dundalk in April, took the G3 Canford Cliffs EBF Athasi Stakes for trainer Willie McCreery and jockey Billy Lee.
“When I went up to Dundalk I thought she was thrown in so if she had been beat I would have looked a right eejit!” said McCreery. “But she was able to come on here and it all worked out.
"She's tough and strengthened up a lot of the winter. Billy gave her a brave ride. He got caught in a pocket and I wasn't sure he would get there. The owners bred her so I'm delighted for them.
"She got a mile last year when she was second in a Listed race here. Seven or a mile suits as she travels so well and is a very good moving filly."