Harrington wins Cordell Lavarack Stakes with Astadash

Well-bred Astadash gained a first Stakes win in Gowran's Group 3 Denny Cordell Lavarack/Lanwades Stud Stakes today, continuing a brilliant spell for trainer Jessica Harrington and completing a double for jockey Wayne Lordan.

Astadash, a half-sister to Group 1 winner La Collina and Royal Ascot handicap winner Foxes Tale, took eight attempts to win a maiden and today beat Emaniya by three lengths to gain a first black-type success.

Harrington, winner of four Champions Weekend races last week including two at Group 1 level, is averaging a-winner-a-day for the past 21 days, and said “she loves Gowran and ran a blinder here last time. She was very good today and I’m delighted that she’s now got big black type.

“She’s big and took a long time to come to herself. The dam (unraced Starfish) is not around any more so the owners (the Barry family) will want to have her for the paddocks.”

Winning jockey Lordan earlier won the opening maiden on the Aidan O'Brien trained History

Quotes from Alan Magee