Connections of Soul Sister call time on this year’s campaign

Soul Sister’s three-year-old campaign has come to an end, with connections looking forward to the Oaks heroine returning to the track next season.

Trained by John and Thady Gosden, the daughter of Frankel left a disappointing reappearance in the Fred Darling behind her when storming to Musidora Stakes glory at York, putting herself firmly in the picture for Classic success at Epsom the following month.

She thrived for the step up to 12 furlongs as she enjoyed her finest hour in the hands of Frankie Dettori on the famous Surrey Downs, handing her owner Lady Bamford a second victory in the fillies’ Classic, 14 years after the triumph of Sariska in 2009.

Soul Sister was last seen finishing a gallant third when taking on the colts in the Grand Prix de Paris but having suffered a small setback, she will now head to her owner-breeder’s Daylesford Stud before returning as a four-year-old.

“It’s only a temporary thing and precautionary and as we wanted to have her for next year it was the prudent thing to do,” said Charlie Gordon-Watson, racing manager to Lady Bamford.

“It’s the sensible thing to do and she will be better next year, she’s going to be stronger. She’s not the strongest but she’ll strengthen up for next year and it is the right thing to do.”

Although stealing all the headlines at Epsom when a stylish winner of the Oaks under an inspired Dettori, it was perhaps her one-and-a-quarter-length defeat at ParisLongchamp when mixing it with Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe candidate Feed The Flame and Irish Derby runner-up Adelaide River that advertises Soul Sister’s star potential the most.

And with a winter of strengthening and developing ahead of her, there is plenty for connections to look forward to in 2024.

“I think the Longchamp run was a very good run looking back on it,” continued Gordon-Watson.

“The winner came wide of her and from behind her and Kieran Shoemark rode her very well. In hindsight it was probably a really good race.

“Looking back on it, the ground in Ireland in the Irish Oaks wouldn’t have suited her and as it turned out she ran in the right race.”