Grendisar (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) was collared in the dying embers and denied a career high in last year's renewal of this event, having annexed the Listed Winter Derby Trial S. beforehand, and followed the same path again with another victory in the Listed Winter Derby Trial S. over this course and distance last time Feb. 6. Adopting his usual hold-up tactics off the pace in rear from the outset, he cruised into contention off the home turn and quickened smartly once shaken up approaching the final eighth to register a personal best with something to spare. “I was happy when they jumped out and were going a decent pace, because one of my worries beforehand was that there might not be a strong pace,” admitted conditioner Marco Botti, who registered a first win in the contest.
“He travels well, but needs pace in the race and I thought he was very impressive,” Botti continued. “The plan always was to go for this and then Finals day on Good Friday [Mar. 25]. As long as he comes out of this race well he'll be there.”
Grendisar's third dam is the G1 Irish Oaks victress Colorspin (Fr) (High Top {Ire}), herself the dam of MG1SW European champions Opera House (GB) (Sadler's Wells) and Kayf Tara (GB) (Sadler's Wells), and G1 Prix de l'Opera heroine Zee Zee Top (GB) (Zafonic).
Saturday, Lingfield, Britain
CORAL WINTER DERBY S.-G3, £100,000, LIN, 2-27, 4yo/up, 10f (AWT), 2:01.05, ft.
1–@GRENDISAR (IRE), 126, h, 6, by Invincible Spirit (Ire)
1st Dam: Remarkable Story (GB), by Mark of Esteem (Ire)
2nd Dam: Spinning the Yarn (GB), by Barathea (Ire)
3rd Dam: Colorspin, by High Top (Ire)
(€15,000 Wlg '10 GOFNOV; 30,000gns Ylg '11 TAOC; £75,000
2yo '12 TATMAY). O-Mohamed Albousi Alghufli; B-Old Carhue
& Grange Bloodstock (IRE); T-Marco Botti; J-Adam Kirby.
£56,710. Lifetime Record: 34-9-13-2, $427,858. Werk Nick
Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Maverick Wave, 126, h, 5, Elusive Quality–Misty Ocean, by
Stormy Atlantic. ($100,000 Ylg '12 FTSAUG). O-Godolphin;
B-Jim Plemmons & Darley (KY); T-John Gosden. £21,500.
3–Furia Cruzada (Chi), 123, m, 5, Newfoundland–Nuestra Machi
(Chi), by Hussonet. O-F Fantini; B-Haras Dadinco (CHI); T-John
Gosden. £10,760.
Margins: 1 1/4, 1 1/4, 1. Odds: 2.75, 7.00, 8.00.
Also Ran: Festive Fare (GB), Tullius (Ire), Fire Fighting (Ire), Complicit (Ire), Battle of Marathon. Scratched: Energia Davos (Brz), Battalion (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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