'Let's hope lightning can strike twice' - Sacred Angel's sibling shines at £175,000

Twelve months ago Yeomanstown Stud presented a grey daughter of Dark Angel out of Sacred Aspect at the Premier Yearling Sale in Doncaster. She fetched £52,000 from Manor House Farm, went into training with Charlie Johnston and was duly named Sacred Angel. 

The filly’s exploits, most notably running away with the Group 3 Princess Margaret, ensured her year-young sister brought a much more significant price at this year’s Premier Sale as Johnston outlasted Alex Elliott to secure the youngster at £175,000. 

Sacred Angel, who was last seen running a creditable fourth behind Vandeek in the Group 1 Prix Morny, was bought privately by Nurlan Bizakov prior to her Group 3 success, and her sister is set to carry the same owner’s pale blue and yellow silks.

“She’s for Nurlan Bizakov, who’s now the owner of Sacred Angel,” said Johnston. “Since his acquisition of her things have gone fantastically well. We were delighted with her run in the Prix Morny and she’ll almost certainly go to the Cheveley Park Stakes next. Let’s hope lightning can strike twice as we were keen to get the sister as well.” 

Although the sisters boast an identical pedigree, Johnston said there were some subtle differences between the pair. 

“There are similarities,” he said. “I think she’s a little more backward than Sacred Angel was at the same time last year, but she’ll be broken in fairly quickly and then get turned away again and we think there’s plenty of improvement to come. She has the same athleticism that her sister has though so we’re delighted to have her.” 

Nurlan Bizakov (centre): among the buyers at DoncasterCredit: Racing Post / Scott Burton

Sacred Angel is the first horse Bizakov, whose Sumbe operation sponsored this year’s Prix Morny, has had with Johnston. Explaining how the association began, the trainer said: “This is his first year sponsoring the Morny and he was keen to have a runner. They were on the hunt for suitable horses in the couple of months leading up to the race and [bloodstock agent] Richard Knight got in touch with me on the back of Sacred Angel’s win in the Newmarket maiden. 

“Could I have said to him at that point that I thought she was going to hold her own in Group 1 company? No, but we were already thinking that her next start was going to be in the Princess Margaret. It was a bit of a punt on their behalf but it’s one that’s worked out fantastically well.” 

Bizakov’s interests have expanded to incorporate interest on both sides of the Channel, with Hesmonds Stud in East Sussex as well as Haras du Mezeray and Montfort et Preaux in Normandy. The latter farm is home to the Sumbe stallions, namely De Treville, Golden Horde, Mishriff and Recorder.

Bizakov enjoyed homebred Group 1 success when Belbek landed last year's Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.

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