Denton Hall News

Prix de L'Abbaye an option for Que Amoro after flying filly pushes Battaash all the way

TRAINER Michael Dods has revealed that the Prix de L’Abbaye is a live option for Que Amoro after she pushed Battaash all the way in today’s Group 1 Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes at York.

The Denton Hall trainer spoke of his pride in the progressive four-year-old filly after she gave the world’s best sprinter a real fright on The Knavesmire.

“She’s ran an absolute blinder and made one of the best sprinters we’ve ever seen pull out all the stops,” said Dods.

Dods and jockey Paul Mulrennan had agreed that Que Amoro should be ridden aggressively whatever the ground – and that was certainly the case as she went head to head with Battaash until Jim Crowley’s mount forged ahead close home.

“Coming into the race, we were a bit concerned about the ground because she’d shown her best form on a quicker surface but the plan was to make the most of her speed from the start and see what happened.

“We thought if we could finish in the first four, we’d be happy, but to get that close to Battash was tremendous.

“She’s clearly an improving filly, who’s extremely quick and with a high cruising speed. To go that close in a Group 1 is a step up on anything she’s done before and she clearly loves this track.”

Que Amoro, owned by Anne Elliott and Peter Appleton, is entered in the Group 1 Derrinstown Stud Flying Five Stakes over five furlongs at The Curragh, on September 13.

However, Dods said another “realistic possibility” would be supplementing her for the Abbaye at Longchamp, famously won by the stable’s Mabs Cross in 2018.

“The races pick themselves really but they would be our options,” he said. “She’s proved she’s capable of living with the best and the great thing is that she’s getting better.”

Winning jockey Jim Crowley paid Que Amoro a compliment after the race, saying: “That horse was hard to pass.”

There was quick consolation for Dods when Brunch won the Sky Bet Mile Stakes Handicap under Callum Rodriguez.