By Tom Frary
Soft ground at Doncaster on Friday meant that times were distinctly unimpressive, but a filly with a future shone through in Lilt (Lope De Vega). A daughter of James Wigan's star mare Dank (Dansili), the William Haggas-trained newcomer was allowed to saunter along on the front end by Cieren Fallon and when threatened by Hollywell Stream (Lope De Vega) gave more to seal a cosy neck success.
“She had given me a nice feel at home and had a freebie there,” the rider said of the daughter of the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf and Beverley D. Stakes heroine. “I knew she had a turn of foot, so I thought I'd use it late on and she battled to the line.”
“I was happy to let her dawdle and do her own thing in front and she'd have learnt a lot there without having had a hard race,” he added. “Her best bit was the last half a furlong and she's going to go on and progress next year as she's a big filly.”
Some attitude!
Lilt is out of the dual-Grade One winner Dank and shows a good deal of ability and a great attitude to get off the mark at the first time of asking for @WilliamHaggas…@DoncasterRaces | @CierenFallonJr3 pic.twitter.com/yN2BPTNIfv
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 24, 2025
Dank's best progeny so far is the stable's Doom (Dubawi), who captured two Listed contests and was third in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes. A half to Rock Of Gibraltar's Hong Kong Cup hero Eagle Mountain and the Prix Marcel Boussac winner Sulk (Selkirk), she is connected to this week's Newmarket winner and Classic prospect Golden Knight (Camelot).
3rd-Doncaster, £6,800, Mdn, 10-24, 2yo, f, 7f 6yT, 1:36.48, sf.
LILT (GB) (f, 2, Lope De Vega {Ire}–Dank {GB} {Champion Grass Mare, MGISW-US, GSW-Ire, MGSW-Eng, G1SP-UAE, $2,428,979}, by Dansili {GB}) Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $4,893.
O/B-James Wigan; T-William Haggas.
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