Ihtimal lands the G2 May Hill Stakes

Ihtimal, one of 30 Black type performers for her sire Shamardal this year, confirmed her position as one of the top two-year-old fillies of the season when storming home to land the G2 May Hill Stakes at Doncaster.

Settled just behind the early leaders, the Godolphin filly was always going well and once the gap opened in the closing stages, she could not have been more impressive, demonstrating a brilliant turn of foot that soon saw her take the lead and record a comfortable win.

Ihtimal first caught the eye at Ascot’s Royal meeting, when she ran a creditable third in the Chesham Stakes. She followed this up with a two-and-three-quarter-length victory in the G3 Sweet Solera Stakes at HQ last month and is now likely to be aimed at the G1 Fillies’ Mile.

Bred by Darley, she is out of the winning mare Eastern Joy, a half-sister to G1 Prix Diane Hermes winner West Wind. She is from the family of the brilliant Oaks and Irish Derby winner Balanchine. Eastern Joy has a 2013 filly by Teofilo and is currently in foal to fellow Darley stallion Helmet.

Shamardal has sired eight individual Group winners so far this year, two of whom have won at G1 level. He has four yearlings catalogued at next month’s Goffs Orby Sale (including a colt out of Wedding Gift – dam of Casamento and granddam of Toronado), and a further 18 at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Part 1.