THERE is something special about a first winner, and the connections of Cappella Sansevero, especially Michéal Orlandi, must have been over the moon when Pierre Lapin gave their sire his first winner recently. Not only that, the Ballyphilip Stud-bred two-year-old colt is a half-brother to the champion sprinter and now Darley stallion Harry Angel (Dark Angel).

The first son of Showcasing (Oasis Dream) to become a sire, Cappella Sansevero was well supported by Irish breeders in his first season in 2016 when he covered around 100 mares. He had already made headline news as a two-year-old in 2014. He was sold for £1,560,000 at Goffs London Sale on the eve of Royal Ascot, and was second the following day in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes. He won four of his eight starts that season and was placed in three of the other four, all at group level.