Kingman's Schnell Meister Claws Out NHK Mile Cup Victory

Sunday Racing's Schnell Meister (Ger) (Kingman {GB}) closed late to take the G1 NHK Mile Cup in a bobbing finish on Sunday, his first black-type victory.

Second choice in the wagering at 5-2 behind Group 1 winner Grenadier Guards (Jpn) (Frankel {GB}), the Sunday Racing colourbearer broke well from one of the widest draws and punched the breeze out in the centre of the course while unhurried early. Up front, Pixie Knight (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) led under minimal pressure from Ho O Amazon (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}), with Grenadier Guards and Gray in Green (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) just off the leading duo. The first 1000 metres was covered in :56.90. On the bend, Schnell Meister rallied sharply and was within shouting distance of the leaders with a quarter mile to travel. A furlong from home, he still had a couple lengths to find, but unleashed a powerful turn of foot to collar Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) by a nose at the line. Grenadier Guards was third, 2 1/2 lengths back. Bathrat Leon (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) dumped the rider at the break.

A winner of a Sapporo newcomers' affair in September over 1500 metres and the 1600-metre Hiiragi Sho at Nakayama over a mile on Dec. 19, Schnell Meister ran second in his 3-year-old bow, the G2 Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho Deep Impact Kinen upped to 2000 metres on Mar. 7.

Pedigree Notes
Out of G1 Preis der Diana heroine Serienholde, Schnell Meister is the fourth Group 1 winner by his Juddmonte sire and first in Japan. Kingman's total of black-type winners now stands at 35, with 17 of that number successful at the group level. Broodmare sire Soldier Hollow now has two stakes winners total, both of group class, with Schnell Meister joining G2 Oaks d'Italia heroine Nepal (Ger) (Kallisto {Ger}).

Since foaling Schnell Meister, Serienholde has a yearling colt by Lord Kanaloa (Jpn) and she was bred to Duramente (Jpn). The third dam, Salde (Ger) (Alkalde {Ger}), threw several top performers, among them German highweight Saldenschwinge (Ger) (In the Wings {GB}), group winner and MG1SP Saldentigerin (Ger) (Tiger Hill {Ire})-herself the dam of Group 1 winner Salomina (Ger) (Lomitas {GB})–and stakes winners Salden Licht (GB) (Fantastic Light) and Saldennahe (Ger) (Next Desert {Ire}), as well as the MG1SP Saltas (Ger) (Lomitas {GB}).

Sunday, Tokyo, Japan
NHK MILE CUP-G1, ¥204,960,000, Tokyo, 5-9, 3yo, c/f, 1600mT, 1:31.60, fm.
1–SCHNELL MEISTER(GER), 123, c, 3, Kingman (GB)
                1st Dam: Serienholde (Ger) (G1SW-Ger, $379,079),
                                by Soldier Hollow (GB)
                2nd Dam: Saldenehre (Ger), by Highest Honor (Fr)
                3rd Dam: Salde (Ger), by Alkalde (Ger)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. 1ST GROUP 1 WIN.
O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Ger); T-Takahisa Tezuka;
J-Christophe Lemaire. ¥108,822,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick
   Rating: C+.
2–Songline (Jpn), 121, f, 3, Kizuna (Jpn)–Luminous Parade (Jpn),
by Symboli Kris S. O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn);
¥43,092,000.
3–Grenadier Guards (Jpn), 126, c, 3, Frankel (GB)–Wavell
Avenue, by Harlington. O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm
(Jpn); ¥26,564,000.
Margins: NO, 2HF, HF. Odds: 2.70, 15.90, 2.40.
Also Ran: Rickenbacker (Jpn), Lord Max (Jpn), Time to Heaven (Jpn), Another Lyric (Jpn), Land of Liberty (Jpn), Ho O Amazon (Jpn), Rooks Nest (Jpn), Veil of Nebula (Jpn), Pixie Knight (Jpn), Shock Action (Ire), City Rainbow (Jpn), Raymond Barows (Jpn), Gold Chalice (Jpn), Gray in Green (Jpn). DNF: Bathrat Leon(Jpn).
Click for the JRA chart or video or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.