By Sean Cronin
Hamburg's new starting stalls, wider than before, were the reason for a near 30-minute delay to Sunday's G1 IDEE 153rd Deutsches Derby and course technicians worked furiously on making necessary adjustments to the running rail so that they would fit the track. In the €650,000 contest itself, it was a matter of millimetres at the finish too as Gestut Park Wiedingen's G2 Union-Rennen victor Sammarco (Ire) (Camelot {GB) denied the Markus Klug-trained duo Schwarzer Peter (Ger) (Neatico {Ger}) and So Moonstruck (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) in a thrilling conclusion to Germany's seasonal highlight.
Sammarco opened up with a neck defeat of subsequent sales-race scorer Alaska Tiger (Ire) (Maxios {GB}) when graduating over 7 1/2 furlongs in his Oct. 31 debut at Halle, his lone juvenile start, and returned to run second behind the reopposing Lavello (Ire) (Zarak {Fr}) in Munich's 10-furlong May 1 G3 Bavarian Classic on seasonal debut. He lined up for this date with destiny coming back off a narrow defeat of So Moonstruck upped to 11 furlongs in Cologne's June 6 G2 Union-Rennen, Germany's premier trial for this race, and was sharp from the two box to race third going by the judge first time. Comfortable there until shuffled back when caught in a pocket off the home turn, the 63-10 chance made rapid headway once in the clear to launch his bid passing the furlong marker and was driven out to prevail in a blanket finish. The winning margins were a short head and the same back to Schwarzer Peter and So Moonstruck.
“I am overwhelmed and can hardly speak at the moment,” said rider Bauyrzhan Murzabayev after claiming a first success in the contest. “I am so proud of this horse. We had the perfect race, right from the start, although the pace could have been a bit stronger. I have to be very thankful that Jozef Bojko [aboard Maraseem] allowed some room soon after entering the straight. That helped enormously as I was able to find a free passage on the inside.”
Contributing to a list of notable firsts, Gestut Park Wiedingen's Baron Helmut von Finck added, “We have been a breeding operation for 35 years now and this is a lifetime dream come true. It is absolutely awesome.”
Trainer Peter Schiergen took his tally in the feature to six and said, “Everything went smoothly and exactly as we had planned. Bauyrzhan gave Sammarco a great ride and really earned his first Group 1 and Derby victory. It was only Sammarco's fourth start, he has won two Group races now and was Group-placed before. I am quite positive that he is a true Group 1 horse in the making.”
Sammarco, who becomes the 10th Group 1 winner for his sire, is the first of three foals produced by Listed Winterkonigin-Trial placegetter Saloon Sold (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}), herself a granddaughter of Listed Baden-Baden Cup victrix Salonblue (Ire) (Bluebird). The latter's progeny list includes Listed Melbourne Cup Day Plate victor Salon Soldier (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}), GSP Listed Junioren-Preis victrix Salonlove (Ger) (Lawman {Fr}) and Listed Premio Tadolina winner Monblue (GB) (Monsun {Ger}). She is also the second dam of Listed Preis der Baden-Badener Hotellerie & Gastronomie winner Serena (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}). Salonblue is also kin to G3 Curragh Cup victor Peppertree Lane (Ire) (Peintre Celebre) and stakes-winning G3 Preis der Deutschen Einheit second Salonhonor (Ger) (Highest Honor {Fr}). Another of Salonblue's siblings, Salontasche (Ger) (Dashing Blade {GB}), has four stakes performers to her credit headed by multiple stakes-winning G1 Preis der Diana (German Oaks) runner-up Sarandia (Ger) (Dansili {GB}) and G3 Bavarian Classic victor Saphir (Ger) (Black Sam Bellamy {Ire}). Sammarco's fourth dam is G2 German 1000 Guineas third Salonrolle (Ire) (Tirol {Ire}). Saloon Sold has the hitherto unraced 2-year-old filly Salon Starlet (Ger) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) and a yearling colt by Areion (Ger) to come.
Sunday, Hamburg, Germany
IDEE 153RD DEUTSCHES DERBY-G1, €650,000, Hamburg, 7-3, 3yo, c/f, 12fT, 2:32.95, gd.
1–SAMMARCO (IRE), 128, c, 3, by Camelot (GB)
1st Dam: Saloon Sold (Ger) (SP-Ger), by Soldier Hollow (GB)
2nd Dam: Saloon Rum (Ger), by Spectrum (Ire)
3rd Dam: Salonblue (Ire), by Bluebird
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (€120,000 RNA Ylg '20 BBAGS). O/B-Gestut Park Wiedingen (IRE); T-Peter Schiergen; J-Bauyrzhan Murzabayev. €390,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0, €445,000. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Schwarzer Peter (Ger), 128, c, 3, Neatico (Ger)–Sovalla (GB), by Pomellato (Ger). (€10,000 Ylg '20 BBAGS). O-Uwe Aisch; B-Gestut Hof Ittlingen (GER); T-Markus Klug. €130,000.
3–So Moonstruck (Ger), 128, c, 3, Sea The Moon (Ger)–So Smart (Ger), by Selkirk. 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O/B-Gestut Schlenderhan (GER); T-Markus Klug. €78,000.
Margins: SHD, SHD, 1 1/4. Odds: 6.30, 47.00, 3.90.
Also Ran: Assistent (Ger), Nerik (Ire), Alessio (Ger), Lavello (Ire), Ardakan (GB), Queroyal (Ger), Mylady (Ger), Wagnis (Ger), Millionaire (Ger), Dapango (Ger), Lotterbov (Ire), Magical Beat (Ger), Angelino (Ger), Maraseem (Ire), Pirouz (Ger), Unconquerable (Ire), Bukhara (Ger). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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