George Scott and Victorious Forever enjoyed another successful international raid on Sunday when plundering the G3 Premio Gran Criterium at San Siro Racecourse with Gaga Mate (Mehmas).
Last seen finishing fifth in Doncaster's Weatherbys Scientific £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes, Gaga Mate was settled in mid-division in the early stages of this seven-and-a-half-furlong contest, before responding generously to jockey Billy Loughnane's urgings when ridden two furlongs out. Assuming command from the long-time leader and favourite Zuender (Amaron) inside the final 100 yards, he stuck to his task well from there to land the spoils by a length and a quarter, with fellow Newmarket raider Sunset On Leros (Almanzor) finishing just a head behind Zuender in third.
For Scott the victory continued a productive spell on the international stage, having recently gained his first Group 1 success when Caballo De Mar (Phoenix Of Spain) won the Prix du Cadran at ParisLongchamp. The same horse had previously emulated stablemate Prydwen (Camelot) to give the trainer back-to-back wins in the G3 Deutsches St. Leger.
Pedigree Notes
Bred by John Connaughton, Gaga Mate is the first runner out of the winning Siyouni mare Truth Prevails who, in turn, is out of a half-sister to the multiple Group 1-winning sire Postponed (Dubawi) and G1 Premio Lydia Tesio heroine God Given (Nathaniel). God Given herself is the dam of the multiple Group 2 winner Silver Knott (Lope De Vega).
Gaga Mate, who holds an entry in the Tattersalls Autumn Horses in Training Sale, was bought by Dylan Cunha Racing and Jamie Piggott for €20,000 at Book 1 of the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale. He was sold privately to Victorious Racing and moved to the Scott stable after making a winning debut for Cunha at Catterick back in May.
Sunday, Milan, Italy
PREMIO GRAN CRITERIUM-G3, €247,500, Milan, 10-19, 2yo, 1500mT, 1:33.00, gd.
1–GAGA MATE (IRE), 123, c, 2, by Mehmas (Ire)
1st Dam: Truth Prevails (GB), by Siyouni (Fr)
2nd Dam: Neamour (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB)
3rd Dam: Ever Rigg (GB), by Dubai Destination
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. (€20,000 Ylg '24
GOFOCT; 48,000gns 2yo '25 TATMAY). O-Victorious Forever;
B-John Connaughton (Ire). T-George Scott; J-Billy Loughnane.
€95,625. Lifetime Record: 7-2-0-2, €133,501. Werk Nick
Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree,
or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Zuender (Ger), 123, c, 2, Amaron (GB)–Zilla (Ger), by Areion
(Ger). O-Stall Acidus; B-Gestut Keilhof (Ger); T-Hella Sauer.
€42,075.
3–Sunset On Leros (GB), 123, c, 2, Almanzor (Fr)–Juliet Capulet
(Ire), by Dark Angel (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE. 1ST GROUP BLACK
TYPE. (10,000gns Wlg '23 TATNOV; 42,000gns Ylg '24 TATOCT).
O-Mr Paul Hunt & Partner. B-Cheveley Park Stud Limited (GB);
T-Marco Botti. €22,950.
Margins: 1 1/4, HD, 2HF. Odds: 6.96, 2.90, 3.04.
Also Ran: Seguro (Ger), Grand Son Of Dark (Ire), Milos (Ity), Lethal Emperor (Ity), Magic Trip (GB). Click for the SNAI chart & video.
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