Adlerflug's In Swoop Pounces For Deutsches Derby Glory

Stall Wasserfreunde's domestic star Wonderful Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) was eclipsed, but Gestut Schlenderhan's homebred In Swoop (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) stepped into the spotlight with a battling success in Sunday's G1 Idee 151st Deutsches Derby at Hamburg, with the Francis-Henri Graffard trainee becoming France's first winner of Germany's Blue Riband. Employing patient tactics in rear off the tempo set by habitual frontrunner Kellahen (Ger) (Wiesenpfad {Fr}) for the most part, the 137-10 chance was under stern urging turning for home and kept on relentlessly for continued rousting in the straight to hit the front with just 50 yards remaining en route to a 3/4-of-a-length verdict from Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}). Grocer Jack (Ger) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who was threatened on all sides once setting sail for home inside the final quarter mile, kept on to finish the same margin back in third. The Henk Grewe-trained 2-1 favourite Wonderful Moon came from off the pace to threaten out wide in the straight, but faded late to finish just over three lengths off the winner in sixth.

In Swoop, who went untested as a juvenile, followed up a May 15 debut success tackling 11 furlongs at Lyon-Parilly with a third back over that strip in the June 6 G2 Prix Greffulhe in his only other start last time and franked Gestut Schlenderhan's policy of spreading its talent further afield after an extensive overhaul of operations. Having emerged from tumultuous times and fresh from its own 150th anniversary in tandem with this contest itself last year, the stud extended its imposing record haul to 19 and, with Graffard at the helm of this project, a landmark win for France.

“He was a horse with little experience going into the race, but had improved quite a lot from the Greffulhe,” explained the Chantilly-based conditioner. “Ronan [Thomas] gave him a beautiful ride and it went exactly as we had planned, which was to avoid all the scrimmaging in the race. I knew he would quicken well from the top of the straight and I'm sure he will improve more. There is nothing for him now until September and the G1 Grand Prix de Paris, so we will bring him back for that.” The winning rider, celebrating a career high of his own, added, “We knew there'd be some pace beforehand so we decided it would be best to give him a chance to find his own rhythm. As expected, it was fast and that's what he did. I started to get an idea where to go on the final bend and down the middle was the best way home. He can be a little bit lazy at times, but he's a big baby who only started his season two months' ago. He's still learning, he hasn't finished improving and I think he will get better race by race.”

In Swoop marks the fourth Group 1 and first Deutsches Derby winner for his sire (by In the Wings {GB}). Kin to a 2-year-old filly by Australia (GB), he is the third pattern-race winner produced by G1 Preis der Diana (German Oaks) heroine Iota (Ger) (Tiger Hill {Ire}), who is also the dam of In Swoop's G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern-winning full-brother Ito (Ger) and G3 Ssangyong Counties Cup victress Igraine (Ger) (Galileo {Ire}). Iota is herself kin to G3 Grand Prix Premiere Aufgalopp victor Illo (Ger), G1 Preis von Europa placegetter Ioannina (GB) (Rainbow Quest) and to the dam of last year's G2 Grosser Preis der Badischen Wirtschaft victor Itobo (Ger) (Areion {Ger}). In Swoop's second dam Iora (Ger) (Konigsstuhl {Ger}) is the sole produce out of Listed Festa-Rennen runner-up Incitation (Be My Guest), who in turn is a daughter of Listed Fruhjahrs Stutenpreis victress Iberica (Ger) (Green Dancer). Descendants of the latter include G2 German 2000 Guineas hero Irian (Ger) (Tertullian) and GSW G1 Preis von Europa runner-up Ibicenco (Ger) (Shirocco {Ger}), with this being the dam line of G2 Preis der Diana (German Oaks) heroine Idrissa (Ger) (Tamerlane {GB}).

Sunday, Hamburg, Germany
IDEE 151ST DEUTSCHES DERBY-G1, €650,000, Hamburg, 7-12, 3yo, c/f, 12fT, 2:34.97, g/s.
1–IN SWOOP (IRE), 128, c, 3, by Adlerflug (Ger)
1st Dam: Iota (Ger), by Tiger Hill (Ire)
2nd Dam: Iora (Ger), by Konigsstuhl (Ger)
3rd Dam: Incitation (Ger), by Be My Guest
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Gestut Schlenderhan; B-Stall Ullmann (IRE); T-Francis-Henri Graffard; J-Ronan Thomas. €390,000. Lifetime Record: GSP-Fr, 3-2-0-1, €408,450. *Full to Ito (Ger), Hwt. Older Horse-Ger at 11-14f, G1SW-Ger & GSP-Fr, $321,458; and 1/2 to Igraine (Ger) (Galileo {Ire}), GSW-NZ, SW & MGSP-Aus, $218,379; and Iniciar (Ger) (Galileo {Ire}), SP-Fr. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Torquator Tasso (Ger), 128, c, 3, Adlerflug (Ger)–Tijuana (Ger), by Toylsome (GB). (€24,000 Ylg '18 BBAGO). O-Gestut Auenquelle; B-Paul H Vandeberg (GER); T-Marcel Weiss. €130,000.
3–Grocer Jack (Ger), 128, c, 3, Oasis Dream (GB)–Good Donna (Ger), by Doyen (Ire). (€85,000 RNA Ylg '18 BBAGS). O/B-Dr Christoph Berglar (GER); T-Waldemar Hickst. €78,000.
Margins: 3/4, 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 13.70, 22.20, 11.30.
Also Ran: Kaspar (Ger), Notre Ruler (Ger), Wonderful Moon (Ger), Dicaprio (Ger), Adrian (Ger), Only The Brave (Fr), Soul Train (Fr), Prince Oliver (Fr), Anatello (GB), Furioso (Ger), Brian Boru (Ger), Kellahen (Ger), Frohsim (Fr), Near Poet (Ger), Toscano (Fr), Palm Springs (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.