Now a winner of his last three starts, San Donato landed novice contests at Haydock and Kempton – getting the better of subsequent G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte winner Hello Youmzain in the former – before dipping his toe into these deeper waters, but he passed his latest assignment with flying colours when quickening up readily in the hands of Andrea Atzeni.
Held-up towards the rear of the field throughout the first-half of the contest as the early tempo proved relatively sedate, San Donato was forced to switch towards the far-side to ensure a run passing through the two-furlong marker, but he made up his ground with consummate ease and was simply dossing in front as he held off the Mick Channon-trained Barbill the three-quarters of a length.
A 500,000 guineas purchase at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, San Donato hails from a family of pure speed being out of the Acclamation mare Boston Rocker, who was Group 3 placed over six furlongs as a three-year-old, while his second dam won over five furlongs as a juvenile and she is a half-sister to G2 Flying Childers winner Superstar Leo who would subsequently finish runner-up in the G1 Prix de l’Abbaye.
At Newbury, Nausha made the perfect introduction to her racecourse career when overcoming the 81-rated Spanish Aria in division one of the fillies’ novice run over a mile.
From the first crop of freshman sire sensation Kingman, Nausha hails from a high-class family being out of a sister to G1 Fillies’ Mile winner Listen as well as the Group 1-winning dam of Henrythenavigator and she looks to have inherited oodles of qualities herself given she tanked through this contest despite running a little keen in the early stages.
David Egan was the only rider to remain motionless passing through the final quarter mile and while Nausha displayed a few signs of her inexperience when asked to quicken up, she soon got the hang of things and eventually won by a comfortable half-length.
Finally at Kempton, David Egan donned the same light blue silks with yellow-halved sleeves when Lastochka showed a bright turn of foot to get up in the closing stages in the fillies’ maiden run over a mile.
The daughter of Australia still had plenty to do as the tempo quickened in the home straight, but he showed a promising change of gear to collar the 76-rated New Queen by a neck, making it four winners from our last four runners for Mr Bizakov.
Roger said: “San Donato is progressing quickly and he seems to be getting faster with racing. He looks a really exciting prospect for next year. As do both Nausha and Lastochka, who were both impressive in their own right, and the sky remains the limit heading into their Classic season.”