By Sean Cronin
Despite drifting from odds-on favouritism to odds-against, Divine Image (Scat Daddy) nonetheless quelled any concerns with an impressive performance tackling one mile in her Chelmsford City unveiling. The chestnut recovered from a slightly awkward break to track the pace in third along the fence from flagfall. Angled into a clear path when shaken up off the home turn, the 6-5 pick received one flick of James Doyle's enhancer once hitting the front approaching the final eighth and powered clear under mild coaxing in the closing stages to easily account for Stratification (Australia {GB}) by six lengths. “She was a little slowly away from the gates, but we got a nice little pitch in behind the front two,” explained Doyle. “She was a little on and off the bridle and, like Charlie [Appleby] thought beforehand, might be better over a bit further. She did it well once she clicked into gear and got a bit of room in the straight. She's a nice one to look forward to.”
Divine Image is the first reported foal and scorer out of three-time stakes-placed Sure Route (GB) (Ishiguru), herself the leading representative produced by an unraced half-sister to a quartet of black-type performers featuring GIII Iroquois S. victor Motor City (Street Sense). Sure Route, who has also produced a yearling colt by Union Rags and a filly foal by Air Force Blue, was bred back to Air Force Blue this year. Sales history: $195,000 RNA Ylg '17 KEESEP; $125,000 Ylg '17 FTKOCT; €360,000 2yo '18 ARQMAY.
2nd-Chelmsford City, £8,000, Cond, 12-13, 2yo, f, 8f (AWT), 1:41.49, st.
DIVINE IMAGE, f, 2, by Scat Daddy
1st Dam: Sure Route (GB) (MSP-US, $201,163), by Ishiguru
2nd Dam: Shore Light, by Gulch
3rd Dam: Shawgatny, by Danzig Connection
1ST-TIME STARTER. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, £5,175. O-Godolphin; B-Peter Magnier (KY); T-Charlie Appleby. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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