MARIA BRANWELL stands out in the Weatherbys Super Sprint Stakes (3.30) at Newbury.
Bargain buys do best in the five-furlong test for two-year-olds – the weights are dictated by the horses’ purchase price – and David O’Meara’s daughter of James Garfield is certainly that, having gone under the hammer for €22,000 as a yearling.
After making a winning debut at Thirsk in the middle of May, Maria Branwell fought to a courageous neck verdict over Crispy Cat in the Listed National Stakes at Sandown Park 12 days later. O’Meara then sent Maria Branwell to the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot last month – and Kieran Shoemark’s mount ran a blinder to finish third, beaten three lengths, to the Karl Burke-saddled Dramatised.
