Queen breaks free for Gr.3 Lester Piggott win

Tweenhills homebred Queen of The Pride, out of Qatar Racing’s dual Gr.1 winner Simple Verse, won her first Stakes race on Saturday in the Gr.3 Lester Piggott Fillies’ Stakes (Pinnacle) over almost 12f at Haydock.

Queen of The Pride had beaten two subsequent Stakes performers when winning her maiden last September by 2 lengths, and she returned with an excellent second in the Listed Daisy Warwick Fillies’ Stakes at Goodwood.

With Oisin Murphy on board for the first time, Queen of The Pride was always prominent in the Lester Piggott and pounced at the right time under 2f out, always holding on thereafter from Listed winner Lady Boba. They were clear of Mistral Star in third.

Queen of The Pride’s success was particularly enjoyable as she’s by the late Roaring Lion and out of the 2015 St Leger winner Simple Verse – famously reinstated as the winner on appeal – who followed up in the QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot.

Oisin said of the John and Thady Gosden-trained winner: “Both her parents were Gr.1 winners so she means a lot to us.

“She’s obviously been slow to come to hand, but she’s been looked after and now we are reaping the rewards.

“She was definitely more straightforward today. It’s only her fourth run after all. Rab said he thought she’d go very well today in a race with more pace on and nicer ground, less hard work.

“She was really easy to ride and I love the way she finished and galloped out.”

She now has plenty of options open to her, including the Gr.2 Lancashire Oaks on July 6, Gr.1 Yorkshire Oaks on August 22 and Gr.1 Prix Vermeille on Sept 15. She will stay further than 12f in time too, though is clearly very classy over this trip.

Simple Verse has a 2yo Kitten's Joy colt callled Delta in training with Joseph O'Brien and a yearling colt by Too Darn Hot.