Wensleydale a new Rising Star

Three-year-old Frankel filly Wensleydale earned TDN 'Rising Star' status at Saint-Cloud yesterday (6th April).

Taken from the Thoroughbred Daily News, 7th April 2021:

The Prix Parade d'Amour for unraced three-year-old fillies at Saint-Cloud was the stage for the entry of the latest TDN Rising Star for Juddmonte and Frankel as Wensleydale cut a dash in the sunshine that preceded a wintry snowstorm.

A daughter of the speedy Gr.3 Ballyogan Stakes winner Divine, the Henri-Francois Devin-trained chestnut was quickly away under Pierre-Charles Boudot before being restrained to track the leaders. Tanking her way to the front with two furlongs remaining, the 5-1 shot showed a sharp turn of acceleration to settle the result and was able to coast to a two-length success from Takemebythehand. In what could turn out to be a deep contest, there was a three and a half length margin back to the third-placed Goldistyle (a daughter of Goldikova), while Al Shaqab's Paris (the second foal out of Treve), was over eight lengths behind the winner in sixth.

"She is a filly I really like and she came into training very late, so she definitely must have room for improvement," Devin commented. "She's a nice scopey filly with a lovely attitude and I'm sure she has a future."

Wensleydale was a 700,000gns purchase by Juddmonte at the 2018 Tattersalls December Foal Sale, which placed her in the top five lots overall at that auction. Bred by Juddmonte in partnership with Divine's owners Mohammed Al-Qatami and Khalid Al-Mudhaf, she is the first foal out of the former Mick Channon trainee whose other career achievements include second and third placings in two editions of the Gr.3 Hackwood Stakes and a win in Pontefract's Listed Flying Fillies Stakes. The latter is a race which can serve as an early advert for serious broodmare potential and was also won by Juddmonte's Arabesque prior to her producing the success story Showcasing. The second dam Carallia was a Listed-placed half-sister to the Gr.1 Prix de la Foret-winning leading Spanish sire Caradak, while this is also the family of the Gr.1 Nunthorpe Stakes heroine Margot Did.

Divine's two-year-old filly by Oasis Dream was bought by Ben McElroy for 210,000gns at last year's Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1, while her 2020 full-brother to Wensleydale
was another purchase by Juddmonte at 260,000gns at the latest renewal of the Tattersalls December Foal Sale.