Novemba convincing winner of German 1000 Guineas
Novemba (Ger) (Gleneagles {Ire}) took command of the G2 Wempe 101st German 1000 Guineas on Sunday at Dusseldorf and never looked back with a 7.5l victory.
Racing comfortably in the lead, the filly was asked to pick up the pace in the final 500 metres by jockey Sibylle Vogt and easily complied. There was no threat to the filly with the real battle for second with Sky Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) getting the best of Belcarra (Ire) (Estidhkaar {Ire}) by 0.25l with Libre (Ire) (Exceed And Excel) in fourth.
“Sybille (Vogt) did everything right by deciding to take the initiative and make her own race,” trainer Peter Schiergen told Thoroughbred Daily News.
“Novemba quite obviously enjoyed herself out there in front and she has shown us that she belongs in this class. We will continue from here, whether in Germany or France, and I will decide with the owners what to do next over the coming days. We are really happy with her.”
Novemba is out of the stakes-winning Dubai Destination (USA) mare Nevada (Ger), a half-sister to German Champion Nordico (Ger) (Medicean {GB}). Also in this family are Australian stakes winners Mulaqen (GB) (Haafhd {GB}) and Exceedingly French (Exceed And Excel) and Exceedingly French’s Group 2 winner La Falaise (Canford Cliffs {Ire}).
Exceedingly French has a 2-year-old filly named La Pluie by Manhattan Rain and a weanling filly by the same stallion. La Falaise is currently in training with Henry Dwyer and last raced in April.
Skalleti earns Group 1 in Prix d’Isaphan
The popular Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) kept his 2021 win streak alive on Sunday with a narrow victory in the G1 Prix d’Ispahan over 1800 metres at Longchamp.
Squeezed out of the barrier, Skalleti was the backmarker in the field from the start and didn’t make moves to fix that position until the final 600 metres when he passed his first horse. Racing widest of all, Skalleti was making big moves but it didn’t look like he’d get to the duelling Tilsit (USA) (First Defence {USA}) and My Oberon (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in time to make a difference.
That all changed in the last 200 metres where he found an extra burst to draw even with Tilsit and put his head in front at the line with My Oberon 0.25l behind Tilsit and Wally (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) also within 1l of the winner in fourth.
“Finally, he's got that elusive Group 1,” trainer Jerome Reynier told Thoroughbred Daily News. “He is so brave and has so much talent. The ground was a question mark today, but it wasn't a problem. We passed on the Ganay to freshen him up for today and it was the perfect spot for him.”
Skalleti is one of three stakes performers from three to race out of the stakes-winning Skallet (Fr) (Muhaymin {USA}). All three are by Kendargent (Fr) with Group 2 winner Skazino (Fr) winning 11 of his starts and stakes-placed Skalleto (Fr) winning nine.
