Search
Cheltenham 2024
- Main Site
- Cheltenham Home
- Cheltenham Cards
- Cheltenham Results
- Cheltenham Offers
- Cheltenham Odds
- Cheltenham Tips
- Cheltenham News
- Prestbury Cup
- Cheltenham Videos
-
Cheltenham Statistics
- Leading Trainer
- Leading Jockeys
- Leading Owners
- Previous Years
- Previous Appearances
- Breeding Profile of Winners
- Lady Jockeys at The Festival
- Leading Jockey Award Winners
- Most Successful Jockeys of All Time
- Current Jockeys Competing at Cheltenham
- Most Successful Jockey In..
- Leading Trainer Award Winners
- Most Successfull Trainer All Time
- Current Trainers Competing at Cheltenham
- Most Successful Trainer In..
- Cheltenham Trainer/Runner Index
- Desktop Site
Cheltenham 2024
- Home
- News
Gary Carson
Sistine shines to open account
Sistine Madonna beats Blazing Skies
© Photo Healy Racing
Sistine Madonna bounced out and made all for a convincing win in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden at Gowran Park.
Declan McDonogh grabbed the lead from his inside draw on the Dark Angel filly and she had her rivals at work passing the two pole in the seven-furlong contest.
The Joseph O'Brien-trained filly asserted over a furlong from home and the 9/4 shot galloped on strongly to beat 13/8 favourite Blazing Skies by three-and-a-half lengths.
Sistine Madonna, a full-sister to six-time winner San Andreas, had been mid-division in a Killarney handicap last time, which has thrown up plenty of winners since.
It was another home-bred winner on the card, this time for owner Guy O'Callaghan and a first in his own colours.
McDonogh said afterwards:- “It’s hard to peg them back on fast ground from the front today. She enjoyed the ground and I said I’d make it a bit of a test as I think she gets a mile.
“I don’t think she enjoyed the ground in Killarney, it was yielding to soft. She floated down to the start today and after going a furlong I knew we were in business and she was taking me all the way.
“The horses are flying and that makes it a lot easier.”
(Quotes by Alan Magee)