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Lope De Vega and Carl Spackler’s sister, a new rising star at TDN for Valmont and Ballylinch

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Lope De Vega and Carl Spackler’s sister, a new rising star at TDN for Valmont and Ballylinch

Lope De Vega and Carl Spackler’s sister, a new rising star at TDN for Valmont and Ballylinch

Sand trap | Racingfotos.com

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All the rage ahead of Friday’s British EBF Quidhampton Maiden Fillies’ Stakes at Salisbury is Ballylinch Stud-trained Valmont and Ralph Beckett. Sand trap (Ireland) (Lope De Vega {Ire}–Zindaya, by More Than Ready) produced all the pyrotechnics expected to become his sire’s 17th TDN Rising Star. Still moving with determination under Hector Crouch who is following the leader in this 1100m event, the 4-5 favourite was shaken as he approached the 1100m post and responded enthusiastically to surge 4 3/4 lengths in front Jowddah (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) who finished second in a novice race at Newmarket last month.

“She seemed very professional to me but I was keen to teach her properly because she’s a filly we hold in high regard and education was paramount,” said Crouch of the full sister to last month’s GI Fourstardave Handicap hero Carl Spackler (Ire), who was bought for 450,000gns at Tattersalls October Book 1. “Today is the first time I’ve ridden her – Rob (Hornby) rode her last Saturday and was very impressed and from the feeling she gave me she’s on a par with the best I’ve ridden. She moves very well on the ground and she’s a big angular filly so if she falls off a bit after that we might have to put her away. If she gets through that she could be in those big horses at the end of the year.”

Beckett knew what he was up against after the brilliant work Crouch was referring to. “It wasn’t a big surprise that she could do that, what she did last week was a surprise,” he explained. “It’s a race that has benefited us over the last few years and I was looking forward to it. She’s more of a hang-on-her-pants type of person than anything else, she’s still a big person and it’s not until next year that she’ll be fully fit. I’m not against running her again this year, if she needs it she’ll do it.”


Sandtrap’s dam Zindaya (More Than Ready) has been an excellent mare in her own right, winning the Goldikova Stakes GII and placing in two other graded stakes contests. Her aforementioned son Carl Spackler is also the winner of the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes GII, Saranac Stakes GIII and Kelso Stakes GIII, while his half-brother Western Aristocrat (Mr. Greeley) won the GI Jamaica Handicap. Also a full sister to the stakes-placed dam of G3 Nikkan Sports Sho winner Shinzan Kinen Noble Roger (Palace Malice), her 2024 foal is by Uncle Mo while she was also bred to Justify.

4th-Salisbury, £35,000, Maryland9-13, 2 years, f, 6f 213yT, 1:29.52, g/s.
SANDTRAP (IRE), f, 2, by Lope De Vega (Ire)
1st dam: Zindaya (GSW-US, $567,240),
by More than ready
2nd dam: Aristocratic Lady, by Kris S.
3rd jump-off: American Dynasty, by Quiet American
(450,000 gns Ylg ’23 TATOCT). Lifetime record: 1-1-0-0, $23,102. O-Valmont & Ballylinch Stud; B-Fifth Avenue Bloodstock (IRE); T-Ralph Beckett. Click for the free catalog Equineline.com pedigree style.

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This story was published in Europe, Shared News Europe, Top News Europe and tagged Ballylinch Stud, Hector Crouch, Jowddah (Ire), Lope de Vega (Ire), Ralph Beckett, Salisbury, Sandtrap (Ire), TDN Rising Star, Valmont.