Starspangledbanner filly Aristia claimed her first Black Type success in the UK overnight taking out the Listed Lyric Filles Stakes (1m 2 ½ f) at York.
Trained by Richard Hannon and ridden by Hayley Turner, Aristia upset the favourites in the contest for fillies and mares defeating Group I winner Alpine Star by a short head in a thrilling finish.
The lightly raced three year-old filly won on debut at Newbury before placing in a Listed race and was last seen finishing eighth in the Group II Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot.
“It was a surprise certainly – because I think we were all thinking we were going to be second to the favourite,” said Hayley Turner.
“But she’s a really tough filly, and she battled well – and I think having fitness and toughness on her side helped her manage to get home.”
“Alpine Star is a tough filly, a Group One winner with a very high rating. We all thought we might be second, but that was a nice surprise.”
Bought for 85,000 guineas from the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 2, Aristia is a half-sister to stakes-winner Glorious Sinndar and is one of seven winners from good producer Aloisi, a half-sister to the dam of Group I winner Dominant.
Aristia is the 19th stakes-winner for Starspangledbanner, who stands at Rosemont Stud this spring at a fee of $16,500.
