Another For Kodiac As Nando Parrado Causes Coventry Shock

There was a piece of history made in the G2 Coventry S., as Clive Cox and Adam Kirby united to land the spoils with Nando Parrado (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) who at a stunning 150-1 is the longest-priced winner in the modern era at Royal Ascot. While his price was probably hugely inflated given that virtually every one of the 2-year-olds in this line-up was an unknown quantity in this irregular season, Marie McCartan's bay had not exactly shone when fifth on debut over this trip at Newmarket June 4. Always up with the pace, he gained the edge passing the two pole and kept finding to score by a length from TDN Rising Star and 3-1 second favourite Qaader (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}), with Saeiqa (GB) (Shalaa) 1 1/4 lengths back in third.

While onlookers at home were checking their racecards to see who the winner was, his trainer who was still basking in the glory of the previous day's G1 Commonwealth Cup success of Golden Horde (Ire) (Lethal Force {Ire}) was one of the minority who were in the loop. When interrogated post-race, he replied, “Not a shock at all! The price was the shock. He is a lovely horse–you have only got to look at him. He has got a real stamp of class about him and he has clearly shown that today. Fair play to Paul and Marie McCarten, as we were a little bit deflated at Newmarket. He had a nice introduction, but we were expecting a bit more on the day to be fair.”

This was always going to be a year when something like this could occur, such was the short turnaround from these juveniles' debuts to this severe test of precocity. Nando Parrado is one of those who is capable of making major strides from his introductory education and Cox believes he also had excuses on his racecourse bow. “He was drawn one at Newmarket and on the day it turned out to be a little bit of a tough ask,” he added. “When you looked at the form from Newmarket, there was a little bias to either rail that day. He was first in the stalls that day on a really windy day and stood there like a saint. He was a bit slowly away, then ran a little bit forwards and used a bit of petrol to do that. He didn't come down the hill and it was game over.”

Cox also revealed that Nando Parrado was on the brink of missing the race. “I am just delighted, but there was a little bit of wavering from the owner. We actually took him out the other morning, because he wasn't sure he could really go for the Coventry and I persuaded him to put him back in there,” he expained. “Paul McCartan's a great guy and I am really pleased to train a winner for him and Marie. He thought after Newmarket, could we really turn up and take the right step and I am grateful–I have a great team at home. Jerry McGrath rides this horse at home every day and he has made all the right steps since he came back from Newmarket.”

Regarding future plans, he added, “I always thought he would be a horse for the autumn rather than the height of summer, to be honest with you, so that is what I'd be aiming for. We will plan our way from here, but we won't be rushing him. I would say he will be a miler next year. I would say he would be more of a Dewhurst horse than a Middle Park horse later in the season.”

There was no hiding place here, with Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Thunder of Niagara (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) pressuring Nando Parrado on either side and if he was not entirely solid he would have given up long before Qaader arrived on the scene. Adam Kirby said, “He galloped with a very smart horse five weeks ago and his work was above average–when he went to Newmarket, he didn't handle the track or ground. We've brought some very nice horses here in the past for this particular race and it takes a serious horse to win it. He could be well a Guineas horse, as I can see him getting a mile very easily. He has got a decent mind, is very relaxed and there is no reason he can't get a mile.”

Nando Parrado was completing a notable Queen Mary-Coventry double for Kodiac, who would later also be responsible for the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. hero. His dam is the G3 Asociacion Propietarios de Caballos de Carrera winner Chibola (Arg) (Roy), who had already produced the listed-placed Muntadab (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and the G3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy-placed Dubai Horizon (Ire) (Poet's Voice {GB}). Chibola is a full-sister to the G1 Estrellas Junior Sprint hero Chollo (Arg), while this is also the family of the G1 Argentine Derby-winning champion Cheyenne (Arg) (Pepenado), the G1 Chilean 2000 Guineas victor Patio de Naranjos (Chi) (Gallantsky), the four-times group 1-winning Argentinian champion Croassant (Arg) (Confidential Talk) and the G1 Argentine Oaks heroine Caldine (Arg) Roman Ruler). Chibola also has an as-yet unnamed yearling filly by Aclaim (Ire).

Saturday, Royal Ascot, Britain
COVENTRY S.-G2, £60,000, Royal Ascot, 6-20, 2yo, 6fT, 1:15.21, gd.
1–NANDO PARRADO (GB), 127, c, 2, by Kodiac (GB)
1st Dam: Chibola (Arg) (GSW & G1SP-Arg), by Roy
2nd Dam: Choice (Arg), by Confidential Talk
3rd Dam: Che Constanza, by Mariache II
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (165,000gns Wlg '18 TATFOA; 200,000gns RNA Ylg '19 TADEYG). O-Mrs Marie McCartan; B-Mrs James Wigan (GB); T-Clive Cox; J-Adam Kirby. £35,520. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $43,868. *1/2 to Dubai Horizon (Ire) (Poet's Voice {GB}), GSP-UAE, $134,006; and Muntadab (IRE) (Invincible Spirit (IRE)), SP-Eng, $220,675. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Qaader (Ire), 127, c, 2, Night of Thunder (Ire)–Redinha (GB), by Dansili (GB). (€44,000 Ylg '19 GOFFEB; 110,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Ms Patricia Walsh (IRE); T-Mark Johnston. £13,434.
3–Saeiqa (GB), 127, c, 2, Shalaa (Ire)–Present Danger (GB), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB). (50,000gns Wlg '18 TATFOA; £130,000 Ylg '19 GOFFPR). O-Al Shaqab Racing; B-Silfield Bloodstock & Trickledown Stud (GB); T-John Gosden. £6,714.
Margins: 1, 1 1/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 150.00, 3.00, 25.00.
Also Ran: Dark Lion (Ire), Painless Potter (Ire), Thunder of Niagara (Ire), Lauded (GB), Admiral Nelson (GB), Existent (GB), Creative Force (Ire), Choritzo (GB), Science (Ire), Talbot (Ire), Army of India (Ire), Igotatext (Ire). Scratched: Mehmo (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.