By Sean Cronin
Stall Salzburg's Fearless King (GB) (Kingman {GB}) ran third behind Rubaiyat (Fr) (Areion {Ger}) and Zavaro (Ger) (Areion {Ger}) in Hoppegarten's May 10 G3 Dr Busch-Memorial and exacted a measure of revenge by outpointing the former in a thrilling tussle to secure Monday's G2 35th Mehl-Mulhens-Rennen – German 2000 Guineas over one mile at Cologne. Settled off the tempo in fourth until encouraged closer once into the home straight, the 5-2 second favourite gained a narrow advantage entering the final furlong and withstood the vain rally of Rubaiyat under a drive in the closing stages to hold on for a career high. At the line, he had a head to spare over last year's hitherto unbeaten German Horse of the Year with the runner-up's Henk Grewe stablemate Santurin (Fr) (Sommerabend {GB}) keeping on to finish 1 3/4 lengths adrift in third.
The March-foaled bay opened his account with a seven-furlong maiden success at Munich in July and dropped to sixth over the same distance contesting the Aug. 31 G3 Zukunftsrennen at Baden-Baden in the second of two juvenile outings. “Everything was perfect today and we are very happy that he was able to overturn the form from Hoppegarten,” trainer Sarah Steinberg told GaloppOnline after registering a first Classic triumph. “We did not make an entry for the [July 12 G1 Deutsches] Derby [at Hamburg] because we didn't think he'd be able to stretch out to a mile-and-a-half. I think 10 furlongs will be his optimum trip.”
Fearless King becomes the second mile Classic winner for his sire (by Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and is the first foal out of dual-winning G3 Oh So Sharp S. runner-up Astrelle (Ire) (Makfi {GB}). Astrelle, herself kin to G2 Premio Ribot victor Porsenna (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) and MSW G2 Gran Criterium runner-up Basileus (Ire) (Dream Ahead), is a granddaughter of GII Black Helen H. victrix and G1 Oaks d'Italia placegetter Sopran Mariduff (GB) (Persian Bold {Ire}). The latter's descendants include G1 Grande Premio Joao Cecilio Ferraz hero Tweet (Brz) (Midshipman) while Fearless King's fourth dam Marina Duff (Ire) (Caerleon) annexed the G3 Premio Dormello as a juvenile and is also the second dam of G3 Premio Ambrosiano victor Voice of Love (Ire) (Poet”s Voice {GB}) and G3 Premio Carlo d'Alessio scorer Time Chant (GB) (War Chant). Astrelle has also produced an unraced 2-year-old filly by Pride of Dubai (Aus) and a yearling filly by Frankel (GB).
Monday, Cologne, Germany
35TH MEHL-MULHENS-RENNEN – GERMAN 2000 GUINEAS-G2, €76,500, Cologne, 6-1, 3yo, c/f, 8fT, 1:34.85, gd.
1–FEARLESS KING (GB), 128, c, 3, by Kingman%20(GB)#tot">Kingman (GB)
1st Dam: Astrelle (Ire) (GSP-Eng), by Makfi (GB)
2nd Dam: Miss Mariduff, by Hussonet
3rd Dam: Sopran Mariduff (GB), by Persian Bold (Ire)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (175,000gns Ylg '18 TAOCT). O-Stall Salzburg; B-Essafinaat UK Ltd (GB); T-Sarah Steinberg; J-Rene Piechulek. €50,000. Lifetime Record: 4-2-0-1, €56,000. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Rubaiyat (Fr), 128, c, 3, Areion (Ger)–Representera (GB), by Lomitas (GB). (€90,000 Ylg '18 BBAGS). O-Darius Racing; B-Gestut Karlshof (FR); T-Henk Grewe. €15,000.
3–Santurin (Fr), 128, c, 3, Sommerabend (GB)–Semina (Ger), by Mamool (Ire). O-Stall Schloss Benrath; B-Hans Klober & Gunter Muller (FR); T-Henk Grewe. €6,500.
Margins: HD, 1 3/4, HF. Odds: 2.50, 1.60, 28.10.
Also Ran: Zavaro (Ger), Palimero (Ger), Palmiro (Fr), Leeroy Gold (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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