The Newsells bred Soffia stormed home to win the Gr.2 Friarstown Stud Sapphire Stakes today over 5f at the Curragh by three and half lengths for trainer Edward Lynam and owner Lady O’Reilly.

In one of the most impressive sprinting performances of the season she deserves her place amongst the leading sprinters in Europe.

Trainer Edward Lynam said: “I thought Soffia was good, but I didn’t know she was that good! She keeps surprising me. There were no prisoners there today but she got there easy and won easy. That’s her most impressive performance. She has only two more entries, the Flying Five and the Abbaye. She has improved and that gives us a good boost.”

The four-year-old Kyllachy filly was following up her recent Gr.3 Ballyogan Stakes victory at the Curragh and Listed win at Naas in May.

Bred and sold by Newsells Park Stud, Soffia is the first foal out of the Stakes performer Rime A Rien (Amadeus Wolf), a half-sister to dual Gr.3 winner Al Jazi (Canford Cliffs) and from the family of Lily Of The Valley, dam of Gr.1 winner Mubtaahij.  Rime A Rien also has a two-year-old filly by Nathaniel.