The bet365 Empress Stakes semi-finals lived up to their promise of excitement, with some standout performances. The phrase “dogs are from Mars, track-record bitches are from Venus” rings true as Barntick Bear now shares the spotlight with Avongate Venus, who matched the Towcester 500m track record in her semi-final.
Avongate Venus delivered a flawless performance from the traps, recording an impressive 28.52. What was anticipated to be a close race turned into a commanding victory, thanks to her lightning-fast 3.95 split. Phil Milner's star, owned by Sean O'Connor, has now secured 10 victories in 11 starts and will head into the final as the clear favourite for the Category One title. New Destiny also put in a great effort, running wide around Queen Georgia at the second bend. Despite closing in on the winner, Mark Wallis' powerful charge was unable to catch Avongate Venus.
In the first semi-final, Droopys Eunice claimed victory for trainer Maxine Locke, stopping the clock at 29.01. She will be joined in the final by Fabulous Terra, trained by Laurence Tuffin, while the odds-on favourite, Leighas Dream, finished third after a less-than-ideal start.
The third semi-final also saw a winning time of 29.01, with Urlee Star delivering a stunning come-from-behind performance to beat Icemans Girl. Trained by David Elcock, Urlee Star made up a significant amount of ground on the backstretch to time her challenge perfectly. A litter-sister to Vale Bluebell, the Select Stayers winner, and a half-sibling to Wasted Monday, Urlee Star is certainly proving to be an exceptional talent.
bet365 Empress Stakes SF1 Results
- 1st – Droopys Eunice (T1)
- 2nd – Fabulous Terra (T4)
- 3rd – Leighas Dream (T6)