Australian bred stallion Starspangledbanner has a very strong crop of 2YO’s running in the Northern Hemisphere this year and they include outstanding filly Precise, who claimed her second G1 race this year when romping home to win the Bet 365 Fillies Mile (1m) at Newmarket overnight.
A last start winner of the Group I Moyglare Stud Stakes (7f) in Ireland, the Aidan O’Brien trained filly was stepping up to the mile first time and made light work of the assignment.
Ridden by Christophe Soumillon, Precise settled back in the field and charged to the line to win by three and half lengths.
The performance now has her listed as favourite for next year’s 1000 Guineas with her overall record four wins and a second from five starts.
“She looks serious and it reminded me of Minding, she was impressive and it was incredible really,” said Aidan O’Brien.
“She's doing everything so easy and Christophe was left in front a lot longer than he would have liked, but he was brilliant on her. She's a total natural athlete so you never do too much at home with her, but these races like this and the [G1 Prix Marcel] Boussac (won by stablemate Diamond Necklace) , you like to see them in these so you know what you have and you're not kidding yourself going into next year.
“We always hoped she would be a Classic filly and here in Newmarket there is nowhere to hide. She sailed down to the two-furlong pole and at that point you thought she was going to win. By the time she got to the furlong pole it was over.”
A homebred for the Coolmore partners is the first stakes-winner among three winners from placed Galileo mare Way to My Heart, a sister to stakes-winner Kingfisher from stakes-winner Mystical Lady.
Precise is the ninth Group I winner for Starspangledbanner, who remained at Coolmore Ireland this year where he stood for €45,000 this year.
