Group Three glory for Newmarket raider in Firth of Clyde.
Sky Majesty, the filly with a soaring future, lived up to her name as she claimed a dramatic victory in the Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Firth of Clyde Stakes at Ayr. With only two career runs, the William Haggas-trained filly made it a gutsy affair as she made it three unbeaten starts. 13 fillies would line up for the high-class Group Three; that was where all the eyes had been searching for Sky Majesty alone. She was a runner with a clean sheet, but only after one event previously.
As the 16-5 favourite, Sky Majesty's hopes were skyscraping. Of course, her previous victory had been quite promising, but when it turned out she was racing against stiffer competition, many thought she was a goner because of her experience. However, jockey Callum Rodriguez remained calm and delighted with the filly at all times. Racing down the center of the track, Rodriguez timed the challenge to perfection while entering into the final furlong, full of confidence and raw potential, as Sky Majesty surged forward. "I thought it was always going to be a tough race," said Rodriguez. "She ran extremely well over the nine furlongs, had the pace, and travelled well. When I asked her to go wide on them inside me, she responded perfectly."
The end stages of the race were nothing short of heart-stopping. Now Grand Marques thundered into contention, and Maw Lam, fresh back from that cracking third in the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot, was pulling out all the stops. It was now a proper three-horse contest, and Sky Majesty's challengers were closing up on her in those last strides. But Sky Majesty stuck to her guns and showed such incredible tenacity for an inexperienced filly.
Trainer William Haggas could hardly contain his excitement at Sky Majesty's win. He lauded her for needing mental toughness. "She did very well and had to be quite tough out there," said Haggas after the race, depicting her run. "For a filly who has such limited experience to come in against some very seasoned horses and come out on top is just a testament to her talent and determination. She's come a long way in a short space of time. She didn't win her first race by far, and she hasn't won by far today, but the way she fought shows there's more to come."
Haggas also suggested that Sky Majesty may not be done with the season yet. While he acknowledged it as her first run, he hinted at a more ambitious race calendar for the season, suggesting she could have a tilt at the Group Two Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte in Chantilly next month. "I think a bit more cut in the ground would suit her better," he observed. "We'll see how she comes out of this race, but the Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte is something we might consider. It's against the boys, but it could be worth a shot." For Callum Rodriguez, the win with Sky Majesty proved the filly has it all and the team believed in her. Praising the attitude of the filly, Rodriguez called Sky Majesty "very straight-forward for one so inexperienced, which made my job easier.
When we hit the final furlong, I knew there was much more she could give, and that is exactly what happened. It is exciting to think of where she can go from here." With the Firth of Clyde win now in the book, the future of Sky Majesty undoubtedly is bright. This toughness—even against more seasoned challengers—suggests that this is only the tip of the iceberg for Haggas' promising filly. As the racing world waits with bated breath on what's next for her, one thing can be certain of one thing: it's a name to watch.
