Relief Rally continued her upward curve in tremendous style on Thursday when landing the Group 2 Lowther Stakes at York.
Settled just off the leaders by Tom Marquand, the filly was switched right for her run and launched a fierce rally to sweep past the leaders Cherry Blossom and Symbology and win going away.
It was a fourth Lowther Stakes for her sire Kodiac following the earlier winners Tiggy Wiggy, Besharah and Fairyland - no other sires since 1960 have sired more winners of the race.
"Relief Rally is pretty good," said winning trainer William Haggas. "It is 50-50 she'll run under a penalty in the Flying Childers and then it will be the Cheveley Park or the Prix de l'Abbaye, we'll see what they want to do.
"You don’t get much time in a six-furlong race to worry, but I was thinking ‘crikey, she’s got a bit to do here’ – I was really impressed with the way she picked up."
Tom Marquand said: “We hoped stepping up to six would work in her favour and I was looking forward to it as just over five she’d hit a little flat spot before finishing really strongly.
“Over six that just didn’t happen today. She had plenty to pass a furlong out, but they were all within a length. To be honest she never had me worried and she hit the line hard. William has done a remarkable job to get her to win the pot she did after Royal Ascot (runner-up in the Queen Mary Stakes) and coming here now."
The Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned filly had looked smart when landing her first two starts, novices at Windsor and Salisbury, and was unlucky not to land the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot last time, with her nose in front of the winner Crimson Advocate before and after the line.
She subsequently landed a large pot in the Weatherbys Super Sprint at Newbury before coming to York; as such, she has pulled off the same Super Sprint - Lowther double as Tiggy Wiggy.
Relief Rally is a sister to Group 3 winner Koropick and was bred by Canice Farrell out of the Fayruz mare Kathoe. She was bought by Anthony Bromley of Highflyer Bloodstock for 58,000gns from Knockatrina House Stud at the Tattersalls Somerville Yearling Sale.
She continues a great run for Kodiac that also features the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat hero Good Guess, Group 2 Minstrel and Group 3 Brownstown Stakes winner Zarinsk and Group 3 Oak Tree Stakes winner Magical Sunset.
