Leading South African breeders Highlands-Ridgemont’s Kieswetter family celebrated a great win at the Curragh on Sunday when their Foxwedge filly Urban Fox stormed to an impressive victory in the Juddmonte Gr1 Pretty Polly Stakes.
Danny Tudhope steers Urban Fox to an easy win (Pic – Amanda Carey)
Trained by William Haggas, the smart filly races in the Barnane Stud silks. Based in County Tipperary, Barnane is an Irish satellite for the Robertson domiciled Highlands Farm, which was purchased by Wayne Kieswetter last year.
The Pretty Polly Stakes build-up was dominated by the Aidan O’Brien-trained Investec Oaks heroine Forever Together, who was the 4-6 favourite to follow up on her Classic triumph at Epsom.
O’Brien fielded three of the six runners in all and it was his Epsom third Bye Bye Baby who took the field along, with Forever Together second and the William Haggas-trained Urban Fox third under Danny Tudhope.
It was clear rounding the home turn that Urban Fox was travelling much the best of that trio and, turning out just 11 days after finishing fourth in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot, the 9-1 shot powered up the straight to record a comprehensive three-and-a-quarter-length success.
Forever Together was a clear second, with another O’Brien runner Athena making late gains to beat Bye Bye Baby to third.
Danny Tudhope and Maureen Haggas with Belinda and Wayne Kieswetter celebrate a memorable race (Pic – Amanda Carey)
The winning trainer’s wife and assistant, Maureen Haggas, told www.sportinglife.com: “I’m thrilled to bits. I couldn’t be more pleased.
“She’s a beautiful filly. William said he wanted to step her up in trip and she’s really enjoyed it. She’s a beautiful, big filly and she’ll give the owners a beautiful mare when she goes to stud. She’s done really well. She’ll be given a bit of a break now.”
Danny Tudhope said: “I knew she’d stay this trip but whether or not she was good enough for this grade I wasn’t sure. William liked her a lot and he doesn’t bring them here for nothing. I won on her at Ascot and knew her well. I knew she’s stay but didn’t think she was as good as that.”
