More Aspen has increased More Than Ready’s stakes winning roll-call to 153 in the LR Singspiel Stakes (1800m) at Meydan.
Thursday’s victory was a black-type breakthrough for the five year-old mare after 22 starts in England and the Gulf. She had won a Wolverhampton nursery for Marco Botti in 2013 and, since transferring to Satish Seemar, had been runner-up in the President Cup Prep and LR National Day Cup.
Video link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EWyzc_a8UU
“We have always really liked her,” assistant trainer Bhupat Seemar said. “She has run some good races in defeat and has strong form at Abu Dhabi behind quality horses like Forjatt.”
More Aspen (5m More Than Ready – Jade Aspen by Jade Hunter) travelled kindly behind the front-runners but appeared outpaced as the leaders kicked on the corner. When they balanced for home, jockey Richard Mullen galvanised his mount and she finished with purpose to defeat Big Baz (Pivotal) by a length.
Initially offered at the 2012 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, More Aspen crossed the Atlantic and changed hands again when making 32,000gns at the 2013 Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-Up Sale.
She owns a world-class pedigree – second dam Northern Aspen (Northern Dancer) won the G2 Prix d’Astarte at Deauville and G1 Gamely Hcp at Hollywood Park and is a half or full sister to Group 1 stallions Hamas, Fort Wood, Bianconi, Timber Country and the dams of Dubai Millennium and Elnadim.
More Than Ready is coming off another Top 10 position at the Gold Coast Magic Millions where his yearlings averaged $231,154. The Vinery champion was also in the spotlight at the Keeneland January Sale this week when his stakes winning mare Ready for Romance topped Wednesday’s session at $240,000.
