In Swoop takes out German Derby
Group 1 winner Iota (Ger) (Tiger Hill {Ire}) produced a third Group winner to her resume on Sunday when In Swoop (Ire) (Adlerflug {Ger}) became a classic winner in the G1 Deutsches Derby over 2400 metres.
A homebred for Gestut Schlenderhan, In Swoop wasn’t in a hurry to challenge for the lead when sitting near the back of the pack. The colt made Ronan Thomas work hard for the victory with Thomas urging his mount from the time they entered the stretch. Digging in during the last few hundred metres, In Swoop steadily made up ground and wore down the leading Grocer Jack (Ger) (Oasis Dream {GB}) in the final stages.
It wasn’t until the shadow of the wire that In Swoop had his head in front but at that point, Grocer Jack was more concerned about the charging Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}).
In Swoop led home a 1-2 finish for Adlerflug with Torquator Tasso finishing 0.75l behind in second with Grocer Jack a further 0.75l back in third.
“We knew there’d be some pace beforehand so we decided it would be best to give him a chance to find his own rhythm,” Thomas told Thoroughbred Daily News. “As expected, it was fast and that’s what he did. I started to get an idea where to go on the final bend and down the middle was the best way home. He can be a little bit lazy at times, but he’s a big baby who only started his season two months’ ago. He’s still learning, he hasn’t finished improving and I think he will get better race by race.”
A full brother to German Champion Ito (Ger), In Swoop is also a half-brother to New Zealand Group 3 winner Igraine (Ger) (Galileo {Ire}).
A multiple Group-placed mare in both New Zealand and Australia, the Trelawney Stud-owned Igraine is currently in foal to Fastnet Rock for her first foal. That trio’s Group 1-winning dam is also a half-sister to Group 3 winner and G2 Peter Young S.-placed Illo (Ger) (Tertullian {USA}) among others.
Champion Pintatubo back to winning ways in Jean Prat
On the board in his first two runs as a 3-year-old, Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal {USA}) backed up trainer Charlie Appleby’s confidence in the colt with an eye-catching win in the G1 Qatar Prix Jean Prat on Sunday at Deauville.
Racing over 1400 metres for the first time since his undefeated 2-year-old season, the Godolphin homebred was happy to race near the back of the field with William Buick aboard. Fellow Godolphin runner Well Of Wisdom (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) led the tightly packed field until the final 400 metres as Pinatubo burst through the field to take up the running alongside Lope Y Fernandez (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}).
Europe’s Champion 2-Year-Old held a slight lead over the Ballydoyle runner from the time they hit the front and was able to slightly pull away in the closing 50 metres to register his first win since last year. The colt finished 0.75l over Lope Y Fernandez with Malotru (GB) (Casamento {GB}) in third, 2.5l behind that runner.
“I never lost faith in Pinatubo and Sheikh Mohammed gave us a lot of confidence this week, saying if we were happy then to go again, it’s no problem,” Charlie Appleby told Thoroughbred Daily News. “He delivered this time. When you have been Champion 2-Year-Old, to get beaten in the Guineas is hard to take and then he had the stiff mile at Ascot, but I wouldn’t take anything away from the horses that beat us on both occasions, they are good horses. We are proud of him and will probably give him a little rest now and talk to Sheikh Mohammed. He was a little far back early, but was travelling as nicely as you’d hope in such a top race and he has that turn of foot and kick. When he found the gap, he went through it very nicely.”
The victory gave Pinatubo’s sire a trifecta of sorts with Shamardal (USA) sons siring the second and third placed runners. One of three stakes winners on the card for Shamardal, the late stallion was also the broodmare sire of a fourth stakes winner with granddaughter Althiqa (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) winning the Listed Qatar Prix Amandine.
The third foal out of Listed winner Lava Flow (Ire) (Mont Elbrus {GB}), who is a half-sister to Group 1 placed Strobilus (GB), the colt hails from the family of successful sire Invincible Spirit (Ire) (Green Desert {USA}) and leading freshman sire Pride Of Dubai.
Pinatubo comes from a strong international family that includes Grade/Group 1 winners in five different countries with the pedigree getting another big update last week when Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) won the G1 Prix du Jockey Club.
Nobel Prize becomes fourth stakes winner for Hveger
Australian Group 2 winner and Group 1-placed Hveger (Danehill {USA}) added a fourth Group stakes winner to her produce record on Sunday when Nobel Prize (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) won the G3 Ballysax S. in front running style at Dundalk.
Setting the pace in the 2000 metre race on the all weather surface, Nobel Prize opened up nearly 5l on the field and looked like he’d be a clear winner. That all changed with 300 metres left to run when Indicative Vote (Ire) (Elzaam) closed from near the back of the field to head the leader.
Nobel Prize drifted inside the final 200 metres but was still full of fight in the duel for the victory. Indicative Vote stuck his head in front with 25 metres left to run but Nobel Prize wasn’t ready to give in and made a last second effort to put his nose in front on the line.
The pair were 2l ahead of the rest of the field with Dalvey (GB) (Dansili {GB}) in third 0.5l in front of Australian-bred Choice Of Mine (Redoute’s Choice).
Nobel Prize is one of six winners out of Hveger with the mare also producing Group 1 runner-up Valdemoro (Encosta De Lago). A full brother to last year’s G1 Caulfield Cup winner Cape Of Good Hope (Ire) and seven-time Group 1 winner Highland Reel (Ire), the colt is a grandson of G1 Australian Oaks winner Circles Of Gold, also the dam of Group 1 winners Elvstroem and Haradasun.
Winning 30 points on the European Road to the Kentucky Derby, Nobel Prize will vault to the top of that leaderboard if the Coolmore partners decide to nominate him but for now, Choice Of Mine is at the top with 11 points – earning him a spot in the Kentucky Derby if none of those with more points are nominated before the first Saturday in September.
Royal Crusade secures first stakes win in Prix de Ris-Orangis
Only half an hour after stablemate Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal {USA}) won the lone Group 1 on the card, Royal Crusade (GB) won the G3 Qatar Prix de Ris-Orangis to give Godolphin four stakes wins on the Deauville card.
Making his second start of the year after finishing sixth in the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, Royal Crusade was last early on in the 1200 metre race as Tour To Paris (Fr) (Fuisse {Fr}) set the pace up front with Glen Shiel (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) just a step behind him.
As the field entered the final 400 metres, jockey William Buick spied a hole and roused Royal Crusade to take advantage of it. The colt found himself up front battling Dubai Station (GB) (Brazen Beau) only a few strides later before racing to the front and winning by 1.25l.
After dropping back when the pair took the lead in the final 200 metres, Glen Shiel rebounded to take back second by a head from Dubai Station in the closing strides.
Another shot in the bow for Shamardal (USA), who sired three stakes winners on the card in addition a Group 3 winner in Germany, Royal Crusade was also the third stakes winner of the day for trainer Charlie Appleby.
One of two winners from two to run out of Group 3 winner Zibelina (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), Royal Crusade’s granddam is a half-sister to Group 2 winner and G1 Queen Elizabeth S. placed Carlton House (USA) (Street Cry {Ire}). The family also included Irish St. Leger winner Duncan (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}) and three-time Group 1 runner-up Three Points (GB) (Bering {GB}).
Starspangledbanner’s Dickiedooda tastes first stakes success in Tipperary
Tenth last out at Royal Ascot, Dickiedooda (Ire) (Starspangledbanner) put in a strong performance Sunday at Cork to win the Listed Coolmore Caravaggio Tipperary S. over 1000 metres against males.
Breaking strongly, Dickiedooda raced on the far side of the pack in second behind Mooneista (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) with Petite Amie (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) to the leader’s nearside. With 300 metres left to go, Dickiedooda took over the lead and stayed on well against a challenge from Grammata (Ire) (Twilight Son {GB}) to win by 1.75l with Chief Little Hawk (USA) (Air Force Blue {USA}) in third.
The first winner out of So Dandy (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}), Dickiedooda’s dam is a half-sister to four stakes horses.
The Jessica Harrington-trained filly is one of six worldwide 2-year-old stakes winners and 12 2-year-old stakes horses for Rosemont Stud’s Starspangledbaner, led by Group 1 winners The Wow Signal and Millisle from 147 runners.
Another Miracle back to winner’s circle for American Pharoah
A third place finisher in the G2 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint last term, Another Miracle (USA) (American Pharoah {USA}) won the Listed My Frenchman S. at Monmouth Park Sunday evening to give his sire a fifth stakes winner in 2020.
Tackling turf rated good in the 1100 metre affair, Another Miracle was happy to race just a few lengths off duelling leaders in midpack. Racing on the rail for much of the race, Joseph Orseno swung his mount to the outside in the final 200 metres but Another Miracle had plenty of work to do with the leaders still a few lengths ahead.
The leading Kingpin (USA) (Quality Road {USA}) brushed off his challenger in midstretch just in time to face Another Miracle, who was full of momentum running up the centre of the track. Another Miracle took over the lead with 50 metres out but had to worry about the flying Jack The Umpire (USA) (Bodemeister {USA}), who appeared from the back of the pack to close the American Pharoah (USA) son’s lead to 0.5l at the line with Kingpin in third.
A Listed stakes winner at Saratoga last summer, Another Miracle is one of eight stakes winners and 19 stakes horses overall for American Pharoah.
One of three winners out of Listed-winning Medaglia D’Oro (USA) mare Retraceable (USA), his dam is also a half-sister to the stakes winning dam of Grade 2 winning Passion For Action (USA) (Speightstown {USA}) with Medaglia D’Oro’s Grade 2 winner Payton D’Oro (USA) also on the page.
Returning to Coolmore Australia for his fourth season in 2020, American Pharoah’s first Southern Hemisphere-bred foals turn two next month.
