By Tom Frary
EASY FOR BENBATL
Godolphin's TDN Rising Star Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) had run below-par when 10th as favourite for Royal Ascot's G1 Queen Anne S., but the 4-year-old's confidence was duly restored on Sunday as he enjoyed a straightforward task in Munich's G1 Grosser Dallmayr Preis. Soon in front under Oisin Murphy, the 13-10 favourite was never put under any pressure at any stage by his rivals and readily stretched away from Stormy Antarctic (GB) (Stormy Atlantic) to win by 2 3/4 lengths as he builds towards a showdown with Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}).
Not disgraced in the Queen Anne June 19, Benbatl was again suggesting that a mile is too short as he had on his 3-year-old finale when sixth in Haydock's G3 Superior Mile in September. Over nine and 10 furlongs, his record speaks for itself with wins in last year's G3 Hampton Court S. at Royal Ascot, the Feb. 1 G2 Al Rashidiya and Mar. 31 G1 Dubai Turf representing his best efforts with the latter his most impressive to date beating the previous year's heroine Vivlos (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) by 3 1/4 lengths. There are easy leads in racing and there are plain gifts and the latter was applicable in this scenario, but it is probably true that none of his rivals assembled here possessed the pace to go with him once he was allowed to use his stride by Murphy. Facing Winx in the Cox Plate will be incomparable to this cakewalk, but in handing a comprehensive beating to the G2 Badener Meile one-two Stormy Antarctic and Va Bank (Ire) (Archipenko) he at least proved he is capable of a smart level of form in Europe in 2018.
Benbatl was the first foal out of the G1 Prix de l'Opera and GI Flower Bowl Invitational heroine Nahrain (GB) (Selkirk), who in turn was the leading performer for the G2 Ribblesdale S. winner and G1 Epsom Oaks runner-up Bahr (GB) (Generous {Ire}). Benbatl's fourth dam is the New Zealand champion La Mer (NZ) (Copenhagen II {GB}), who recorded no less than 24 victories including the G1 Air New Zealand S. Nahrain also has an as-yet unraced 2-year-old colt by Dansili (GB) named Montzar (GB), a yearling full-sister to Benbatl and a filly foal by Sea the Stars (Ire).
Sunday, Munich, Germany
GROSSER DALLMAYR-PREIS – BAYERISCHES ZUCHTRENNEN-G1, €155,000, Munich, 7-29, 3yo/up, 10fT, 2:06.78, gd.
1–BENBATL (GB), 132, c, 4, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Nahrain (GB) (Hwt. 3yo Filly-Eng at 9.5-11f, G1SW-Fr, GISW-US, SW-Eng & GSP-Ire, $1,041,961), by Selkirk
2nd Dam: Bahr (GB), by Generous (Ire)
3rd Dam: Lady of the Sea (GB), by Mill Reef
O-Godolphin; B-Darley (GB); T-Saeed bin Suroor; J-Oisin Murphy. €100,000. Lifetime Record: G1SW-UAE & GSW-Eng, 13-6-2-1, €3,544,103. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Stormy Antarctic (GB), 132, g, 5, Stormy Atlantic–Bea Remembered (GB), by Doyen (Ire). (68,000gns Wlg '13 TATFOA; 200,000gns 2yo '15 TATBRE). O-Pak Kwan Siu; B-East Bloodstock Ltd (GB); T-Ed Walker. €30,000.
3–Va Bank (Ire), 132, h, 6, Archipenko–Vinales (Ire), by Dilshaan (GB). (€4,500 Ylg '13 TIRSEP). O-Team Valor International; B-Airlie Stud (IRE); T-Andreas Wohler. €15,000.
Margins: 2 3/4, 2, 3/4. Odds: 1.30, 3.30, 10.60.
Also Ran: Iquitos (Ger), Walsingham (Ger), Wai Key Star (Ger), Clearly (GB), Rapido (Ger), Matchwinner (Ger). Scratched: Colomano (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
