A Group I winner last year of the Newmarket Cheveley Park Stakes and Champion European 2YO Filly for 2019, Starspangledbanner filly Millisle struck top form overnight with a resounding victory in the Group III Ballyogan stakes (6f) at Naas for fillies and mares.
Prepared by Jessica Harrington and ridden by Shane Foley, Millisle showed the benefit of recent racing to power clear and win by four lengths.
“She's back on track. She was very good there and Shane [Foley] said she's only really learning to sprint now,” said Jessica Harrington.
“She got rolling, enjoyed it and quickened up well. She had to carry a penalty against them there too. We'll probably go to the Curragh now for the Phoenix Sprint, another Group 3. It's just hard enough to find races for her.
“There are very few fillies races, that's the trouble, and she's probably not hardened enough to take on the elder sprinters yet. I think she will be in time as I think she's a proper sprinter. I'd love to look at a Group I towards the end of the season.”
A homebred for Stonethorn Stud Farm, Millisle has the overall record of four wins and three second from nine starts.
Millisle is a half-sister to stakes-winning stayer Ithoughtitwasover and is the ninth winner from good producer Green Castle.
Millisle is the third European stakes-winner for Starspangledbanner this year joining Aloha Star and Dickiedooda, while in Australia he has sired Prime Star to win the Inglis Millennium.
The champion son of Choisir stands at Rosemont Stud this spring at a fee of $19,800.
