Owner Craig Bernick, president of Glen Hill Farm, secured a stakes victory June 18 at the Royal Ascot meet when Nola Soul, a son of Justify , finished well to post a half-length victory over another son of Justify in the Chesham Stakes for 2-year-olds.
Nola Soul completed the 7-furlong test in 1:26.85 on good-to-firm turf to edge runner-up On Just Terms, giving the Kentucky-bred sons of the 2018 Triple Crown winner the top two finishes in the race. Justify stands for $200,000 at Ashford Stud near Versailles, Ky.
A third Kentucky-bred son of Justify, Aix La Chapelle, had been favored in Thursday's test, but he was deemed a late non-runner after rearing up in the stalls. But on this day Justify had plenty of additional firepower with Nola Soul striking under Seamie Heffernan to provide trainer Fozzy Stack with a first Royal Ascot winner.
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Entered off a debut victory at the same distance last month at Leopardstown where he defeated King of Cloughan, who captured the Windsor Castle Stakes June 17 at Ascot Racecourse, Nola Soul struggled to settle in the first half of the race. However, he was prominent in the final 2 furlongs and defied a late surge from debutante On Just Terms, who came from last to finish second, with Richard Hannon's Aperoll in third.
"It's a great pleasure that Mr. Bernick had the confidence in me to teach him and direct him," Heffernan said of working with Nola Soul. "He was an Ascot horse from a while ago and it's a pleasure to be here. He was waiting for something to come alongside him; he's a professional.
"I owe Craig a big thank you. I would like to be busier here this week, but I am not. It is lovely to have another winner here. It means more than you know, and I am running out of time."
Reflecting on his first Royal Ascot winner, Stack said: "He's a big, powerful galloper and goes fast for a long time, and we're lucky to have him.
"He's got a little bit of character and he doesn't like it when people get behind his backside; he'll lash out, so you have to play around with him.
"I think he will definitely get a mile and a quarter. It's been a joy today and we've got a nice problem now."
Nola Soul was bred in Kentucky by John Gunther, who, of course, also bred Justify. Glen Hill Farm went to $220,000 to purchase Nola Soul as a weanling at the 2024 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, where he was consigned by Glennwood Farm, agent. Nola Soul is one of two starters, both winners, for the Muhaarar mare Sing Me Home. Nola Soul's second dam, Smart Change, is a half sister to 2011 Travers Stakes (G1) winner and sire Stay Thirsty .
The winning jockey is looking forward to further development from Nola Soul.
"The beauty is there's more to come. I have plenty of experience with the Justifys, so I know exactly what they like and what they don't like. A lot of them have an engine and, once it's geared the right way, they're good," Heffernan said. "He always showed plenty. He is by the right stallion, big stride, big heart. When they give you the class feel from Day 1 and they keep backing it up every week when you sit on them, it is usually a good sign."
