By Tom Frary
Totally unexposed entering Wednesday's Listed Paradise Stakes, Marcstown's Sardinian Warrior (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) made his first start on turf a successful one in Ascot's Queen Anne Stakes Trial. Stalking the strong early pace under Kieran Shoemark, the John and Thady Gosden-trained son of the G1 Phoenix Stakes and G1 Matron Stakes winner La Collina (Ire) (Strategic Prince {GB}) moved to the front inside the final two furlongs and held off Docklands (GB) (Massaat {Ire}) to score by half a length.
“He's a really talented horse and this was his first day on the grass,” Shoemark said of the winner, whose three previous successes had come at Southwell. “He has lots of ability and I feel he'll come on plenty. I think he's a solid miler–he was getting a bit tired there when Docklands came to me.”
Great battle!
First time on turf, Sardinian Warrior sees off Docklands to land the Paradise Stakes at @Ascot under Kieran Shoemark… pic.twitter.com/LEsZmB80Jj
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) April 30, 2025
The winner is the first black-type performer for the talented dam, one of five of that type out of the unraced Starfish (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) including the G3 Rose of Lancaster Stakes winner Foxes Tales (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and the G3 Denny Cordell Lavarack Memorial Stakes scorer Astadash (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}). Also related to the G2 Derby Trial-winning sire Fracas (Ire), she has an unraced 3-year-old full-sister to the winner named La Capriola (Ire).
EVENTMASTERS.CO.UK PARADISE STAKES-Listed, £60,000, Ascot, 4-30, 4yo/up, 8fT, 1:36.73, g/f.
1–SARDINIAN WARRIOR (IRE), 131, c, 4, Saxon Warrior (Jpn)–La Collina (Ire) (MG1SW-Ire, $471,724), by Strategic Prince (GB).
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. (200,000gns Wlg '21 TADEWE). O-Marcstown Ltd; B-Kenilworth House Stud (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Kieran Shoemark. £34,026. Lifetime Record: 5-4-1-0, $90,065.
2–Docklands (GB), 131, h, 5, Massaat (Ire)–Icky Woo (GB), by Mark Of Esteem (Ire). (18,000gns Wlg '20 TATFOA; £16,000 Ylg '21 TATIRY). O-OTI Racing; B-Mickley Stud (GB); T-Harry Eustace. £12,900.
3–Checkandchallenge (GB), 131, g, 6, Fast Company (Ire)–Likeable (GB), by Dalakhani (Ire). (35,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Mr A Hetherton; B-Meon Valley Stud (GB); T-William Knight. £6,456.
Margins: HF, 4 1/4, HF. Odds: 5.00, 1.88, 18.00.
Also Ran: Royal Dubai (Fr), Meydaan (Ire), Phantom Flight (GB), Tyrrhenian Sea (Ire), Unquestionable (Fr), Sir Busker (Ire), Witch Hunter (Fr), Harper's Ferry (GB).
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
