By Sean Cronin
Granted leave of absence from 'TDN Rising Star' Beauvatier's G3 Prix La Rochette victory in Paris earlier in the day, conditioner Yann Barberot was on hand to witness G1 Dubai Sheema Classic and G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud placegetter Zagrey (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}–Grey Anatomy {GB}, by Slickly {Fr}) set the seal on a notable double, and claim a Group 1 first for his sire, in Sunday's 153rd Wettstar.de Grosser Preis von Baden.
Last term's Listed Derby du Midi and Listed Grand Prix du Nord victor had his task made slightly easier by the withdrawal of G1 Deutsches Derby hero Fantastic Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) and he was keen under cover, racing along the fence on the heels of the leaders, as 'TDN Rising Star' and Deutsches Derby runner-up Mr Hollywood (Ire) (Iquitos {Ger}) set a modest pace for most of the 12-furlong trip. Caught in traffic out wide as the sprint commenced in earnest off the home turn, the 2-5 favourite was presented with a dream seam underneath the stands' side rail when Mr Hollywood drifted off a true line passing the furlong pole and stayed on relentlessly to deny that tenacious rival by a neck in the dying strides. Gestut Karlshof's Straight (Ger) (Zarak {Fr}) was on the scene throughout the thrilling final quarter-mile and only gave best nearing the line, finishing a half-length adrift in third.
Christophe Soumillon, who was winning the Grosser Preis for the first time, said, “The start was very difficult because we didn't go very fast. Luckily on the first bend the lead horse didn't turn well so that gave me the opportunity to get on the inside and let him roll a bit. After that, he was really relaxed for the whole race. He changed legs perfectly when I asked him to and when we got into the straight he was fighting with the bit a little.”
Zagrey takes the Grosser Preis von Baden (G1) !pic.twitter.com/KuKif0luQU
— IFHA's Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings (@worldsbesthorse) September 3, 2023
“When I asked him to quicken, I had to wait as there was a point when I didn't have a lot of room so I was just waiting for the gap. He's a lovely horse. We knew everything would suit him here, especially the way the race is run here as he always hangs right, so for him to get the perfect leg to the outside is always great. For sure, he would have been better with a stronger tempo in the race, but he was in great shape today.”
Barberot, who landed his second Group 1 victory and first in Germany, added, “It's never easy to win a Group 1, even with a good horse like him. It was a great race in the straight. There wasn't a lot of room in the last 500 metres, particularly when they had gone such a slow pace early on, but the horse showed a lot of courage to get there. Having said that, when they were turning into the straight I was quite worried.”
Pedigree Notes
Zagrey, who becomes the 10th pattern-race scorer and first at the highest level for his sire (by Dubawi {Ire}), is the fourth of six foals and one of three scorers out of the unraced Grey Anatomy (GB) (Slickly {Fr}). The April-foaled bay is a half to G1 Criterium International third Graignes (Fr) (Zoffany {Ire}), the stakes-placed Anatiya (Fr) (Dariyan {Fr}) and the hitherto unraced 2-year-old filly Eepha (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}). His second dam, Listed Virginia S. victrix Light Step (Nureyev), produced dual stakes-winning G3 Prix des Reservoirs third Nova Step (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and is kin to three stakes winners headed by MGISP G2 Royal Lodge S. victor Eltish (Cox's Ridge). Light Step is out of Nimble Feet (Danzig), herself a full-sister to GI Arlington-Washington Lassie S. heroine Contredance and kin to MGSW distaffer Skimble (Lyphard). Skimble, in turn, is the dam of dual GI Pacific Classic-winning sire Skimming (Nureyev).
Sunday, Baden-Baden, Germany
153RD WETTSTAR.DE GROSSER PREIS VON BADEN-G1, €400,000, Baden-Baden, 9-3, 3yo/up, 12fT, 2:39.77, gd.
1–ZAGREY (FR), 132, c, 4, by Zarak (Fr)
1st Dam: Grey Anatomy (GB), by Slickly (Fr)
2nd Dam: Light Step, by Nureyev
3rd Dam: Nimble Feet, by Danzig
1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (€32,000 RNA Ylg '20 ARQSEP). O-Ecurie Altima & Gerard Augustin-Normand; B-Ecurie Euroling (FR); T-Yann Barberot; J-Christophe Soumillon. €230,000. Lifetime Record: MSW & G1SP-Fr, G1SP-UAE, 14-5-4-2, €1,034,716. *1/2 to Graignes (Fr) (Zoffany {Ire}), G1SP-Fr, $280,444; and Anatiya (Fr) (Dariyan {Fr}), SP-Ger. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Mr Hollywood (Ire), 125, c, 3, Iquitos (Ger)–Margie's Music (Fr), by Hurricane Run (Ire). (€15,000 Ylg '21 BBAGS). O-Wanja Soren Oberhof & Sebastian Weiss; B-Gestut Ammerland (GER); T-Henk Grewe. €90,000.
3–Straight (Ger), 125, c, 3, Zarak (Fr)–Seductive (Ger), by Henrythenavigator. 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (€40,000 RNA Ylg '21 BBAGS). O/B-Gestut Karlshof (GER); T-Andreas Wohler. €45,000.
Margins: NK, HF, 2 3/4. Odds: 0.40, 4.50, 17.70.
Also Ran: Quantanamera (Ger), Kassada (Ger), Sisfahan (Fr). Scratched: Fantastic Moon (Ger).
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