Group 3 winner Berlin Tango (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), a George Strawbridge homebred, has been sold to Hong Kong, Racing Post reported on Tuesday. In the care of trainer Andrew Balding, the newly gelded bay won at second asking at Ffos Las last July and was third in both the Listed Stonehenge S. at Salisbury in August and Doncaster's Listed Flying Scotsman S. in September. He returned this March to fill the runner-up spot in the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” Conditions S. at Kempton before taking the G3 Unibet Classic Trial S. there on June 3. Berlin Tango was third in Royal Ascot's G3 Hampton Court S. on June 17.
“He's got the ideal profile for Hong Kong as he's got a mile and a quarter and fast ground form and has been really progressive for Andrew Balding,” SackvilleDonald's Alastair Donald, who brokered the deal, told Racing Post. “His form is stacking up well and hopefully he will be an ideal Hong Kong Derby type. He's going to be going to Tony Cruz for a client of ours. He won't run again here and has already been gelded. He's currently chilling out and getting over his exertions, hopefully to ship to Hong Kong in mid-August.”
The fifth foal out of the Sadler's Wells mare Fantasia (GB), a winner of the G3 Prestige S. and second in the G1 Meon Valley Stud Fillies' Mile as a juvenile, Berlin Tango is also the third winner from his dam. Third in the G1 French 1000 Guineas and a winner of the G3 Nell Gwyn S. in the UK, Fantasia also landed the GIII Modesty H. Stateside and was runner-up in the GI Just a Game S. there. She is a half-sister to Irish Group 3 winner Pink Symphony (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}) and to the dam of the MGSW Western Hymn (GB) (High Chaparral {Ire}). Berlin Tango's third dam is the European highweighted juvenile filly Blue Duster (Danzig), who won the G1 Cheveley Park S. in 1995.
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