© Photo Healy Racing
Sirona justified 6-4 favouritism with the minimum of fuss to win the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai British EBF Rosemary Stakes at Newmarket.
With heavy ground (which was changed to soft after the race) reducing the Listed contest to just a five-runner affair, David Menuisier’s filly was strongly fancied under Ryan Moore to win for the first time this term.
Kieran Shoemark grabbed the rail on Spiritual and briefly looked like slipping the field but Moore kept his mount away from that rival and engaged overdrive.
Sirona quickened up well, handling the testing ground with aplomb, to run out a neck winner from the closing Fair Point.
“The ground was a bit of an unknown, to be honest. I didn’t train the filly until this year and she had been handling fast ground well,” said Menuisier.
“When I saw heavy this morning, I wasn’t sure but I had a word with Jayne (McGivern, owner) and she said give it a try and we did.
“She really deserves this, she’s been knocking on the door all year, so it was important to win this one.
“I don’t know if that is it for this year, it will depend on how she is over the next few weeks with the winter coming. I have no plan but she stays in training next year.”
