Taking on her elders while stepping up in trip for Friday's G3 Hoppings Fillies' Stakes at Newcastle, Nurlan Bizakov's Botagoz (Mehmas) continued her upward trajectory with a last-gasp win.Two-for-two before finding her smart peers Lilt and So Regal too sharp at a mile in York's Michael Seely Memorial last month, the Roger Varian-trained daughter of Bocca Baciata (Big Bad Bob) needed every yard of this 10-furlong trip to overhaul last year's winner Diamond Rain (Shamardal) and prevail by a short head. There was a 3 1/4-length gap back to Sky Safari (Zoustar) in third.“I think she had plenty left over the line there and she's a filly on the up,” jockey Ray Dawson said of the 13-2 shot. “She looked to be crying out for this trip and the stiff nature of the track really has suited. She's very straightforward, loves her racing and is improving with every run. They've got options now, she's an improving three-year-old with plenty of scope.”A thriller in the feature! Botagoz rattles home late to deny Diamond Rain on the line in the Group Three Hoppings Fillies' Stakes…@NewcastleRaces | @varianstable pic.twitter.com/akVbrPKQrW— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 26, 2026Pedigree NotesBotagoz is the fourth foal out of the aforementioned Bocca Baciata, whose career tally included wins at Group 2 and Group 3 level in the Kilboy Estate and Dance Design and who was runner-up in the Pretty Polly. Responsible for the Listed scorer Foniska (Galileo), she is a half to a pair of Group 3 winners by Whipper in Kalsa and Topeka, with the latter also finishing third in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches.Bocca Baciata is also a half-sibling to the dam of a Michael Seely Memorial winner in Primo Bacio (Awtaad), who was placed in the Duke of Cambridge, while the family includes the Natalma winner La Pelosa (Dandy Man). The dam's two-year-old colt Pikachu (Frankel), who was a 450,000gns purchase by Amo Racing at Tattersalls October Book 1, was a close fifth in last week's Chesham while she also has a yearling filly again by Frankel.Friday, Newcastle, BritainJENNINGSBET IN DELVES HOPPINGS FILLIES' STAKES-G3, £95,000, Newcastle, 6-26, 3yo/up, f/m, 10f 42y (AWT), 2:09.02, st/sl.1–BOTAGOZ (IRE), 121, f, 3, by Mehmas (Ire)1st Dam: Bocca Baciata (Ire) (MGSW & G1SP-Ire), by Big Bad Bob (Ire)2nd Dam: Sovana (Ire), by Desert King (Ire)3rd Dam: Piacenza (Ire), by Darshaan (GB)1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. (€260,000 Ylg '24 GOFORY). O-Nurlan Bizakov; B-Yu Long Investments; T-Roger Varian; J-Ray Dawson. £53,875. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-1, $94,205. Werk Nick Rating: C. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.2–Diamond Rain (GB), 133, m, 5, Shamardal–Dancing Rain (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). O/B-Godolphin; T-Charlie Appleby. £20,425.3–Sky Safari (GB), 136, m, 5, Zoustar (Aus)–Moonlight Sonata (GB), by Galileo (Ire). O-Mary Slack; B-Wilgerbosdrift (UK) Ltd; T-James Fanshawe. £10,222.Margins: SHD, 3 1/4, HF. Odds: 6.50, 0.67, 4.00.Also Ran: Dreamasar (Ire), Alla Stella (GB), Uluru (Ire), Ashariba (Fr).The post ‘She’s A Filly On The Up’: Dawson Steers Botagoz to Hoppings Win appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.