Ilanga scores again at Maisons-Laffitte

Thursday at Maisons-Laffitte on the Prix Texanita (Gr3)'s 6-furlong straight trip, Ilanga (Penny's Picnic) led the inner side field and took off a furlong out, just in time to hold off Milord's Song (Siyouni), who had gone with the stands's group, along with the third-placed Cigalera (Elusive City).
The favourite Sexy Metro (Diamond Green), a nice winner at Bordeaux for his seasonal comeback, was narrowly beaten for the podium.
Ilanga was well beaten in the Prix Sigy (Gr3) lately after a winning return at Toulouse in a Class 1 race.
Bred in France by her owner, Zied Ben M'Rad, Ilanga was bought back € 25,000 at the Deauville yearling sales, then at the Osarus breeze-up sale, for only € 9,000. A Listed-winner in Germany, her dam Molly Mara (Big Shuffle) is the sister of two Group 3 winners there, including a second in the German Two Thousand Guineas, Molly Max (Big Shuffle).
Molly Mara also gave a Penny's Picnic colt born in 2017, then an Exosphère filly.