The 5,000gns breeze-up buy being lined up for $1 million Breeders' Cup tilt after two wins from three starts

Anshoda, a 5,000gns breeze-up buy, is being lined up by Dave Loughnane for a tilt at the $1 million (£760,000/€900,000) Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar in November.

The daughter of Inns Of Court earned a starting berth in the Grade 1 when landing the Prestige Stakes at Goodwood last month, taking her record to two wins and a second from three starts.

Anshoda went through the ring for €24,000 as a yearling and Loughnane bought her for a fraction of that price at the Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-Up Sale in May. 

She won on debut at Lingfield the following month and finished second in the Listed Star Stakes at Sandown in July for owner Nawaf Almutairi before being sold to US-based Team Valor and Gary Barber.

Loughnane said: “She’ll definitely go to the Breeders’ Cup and we might take in the May Hill at Doncaster next week beforehand. She is entered in the Rockfel and Fillies’ Mile, but they don’t really line up timescale-wise.

Dave Loughnane: his first Breeders' Cup runner Go Bears Go finished a close second at Del Mar in 2021Credit: Edward Whitaker

“She was very straightforward at the breeze-ups and came recommended by her consignors [Diamond Stables], who I have worked with in the past.

“I’m delighted with the progress she has shown and she won quite comfortably at Goodwood. She’s improved with racing and will benefit from a step up to a mile so there’s plenty to look forward to with her.”

Anshoda’s US trip will mark a return to Del Mar for Loughnane, who saddled his first Breeders’ Cup runners at the track in 2021, when Go Bears Go finished a half-length second in the Juvenile Turf Sprint and Hello You was fifth in the Juvenile Fillies Turf.

“Everyone who works in the sport has the dream of being involved at these big meetings and we’re excited to be heading back there,” said Loughnane. “It’s great to have a horse good enough to go.”

Amo Racing’s Go Bears Go returned to the Shropshire stable this year and Loughnane took encouragement from his sixth in a Group 3 at Deauville last month after a long layoff. He could head to the Curragh for the Flying Five Stakes on Sunday week.

Go Bears Go: could run in the Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh next SundayCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

“The tacky ground went against him, but we needed to get a run into him and he showed us signs of his old spark,” said Loughnane. “He looks a million dollars so we’re hopeful he can pick up a race or two.”

Loughnane has saddled ten winners in what he described as a “disappointing” year but is optimistic about the yard’s prospects.

He said: “We’ve had a similar number of horses to previous seasons but we’ve had a disappointing year. We put in a new gallop in January and it’s taken a bit of time to bed down and settle, while we had a bit of a virus in the yard for the first half of the season.

“It’s been slower than usual, but you can have these seasons and we have to look to the future and move forward. We have quite a few horses who have been good servants and are coming to the back end of their careers, so it will be important to refresh for next year.”

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