Parent's Prayer (centre) wins for Ben Coen and Archie Watson © Photo Healy Racing
Archie Watson saddled his first Group 1 winner with Glen Sheil at Ascot yesterday, and the Lambourn trainer completed a memorable weekend when enjoying further Stakes race glory with Parent’s Prayer in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Garnet Stakes at Naas.
The daughter of Kingman belied odds of 12/1 by leading two furlongs out and stretching clear inside the final furlong for Ben Coen to score by three lengths. Best On Stage and Stormy Belle dead-heated for second, while Tasalka (9/1) was withdrawn after getting very upset in the stalls resulting in a Rule 4 deduction on winning bets of ten cent in the euro.
Coen said, “She’s done it well. She loved the ground and travelled through the race very easily. She picked up well at the two pole and I probably got there too soon. She was getting a bit lonely but she toughed it out to be fair.
“She’s a nice filly. She loves that ground and that is probably her ideal trip.”
