By Tom Frary
Making all under an enterprising ride from Silvestre De Sousa, Clive Washbourn's Devil's Point (Ire) (New Bay {GB}–Hairy Rocket {GB}, by Pivotal {GB}) took Cologne's G2 Coolmore St Mark's Basilica German 2000 Guineas back to Britain on Monday.
Last year's G1 Futurity Trophy runner-up, who had enjoyed a confidence-boosting win in a Goodwood conditions event earlier this month, was needing the line as Penalty (Ger) (Frankel {GB}) closed in down the centre of the track and it came in time for the David Menuisier-trained colt to prevail by a neck, with Ghorgan (Ger) (Study Of Man {Ire}) another neck away in third. The 3-1 favourite Maigret (Ger) (Counterattack {Aus}) was only fifth.
De Sousa, widely considered one of the best of his trade from the front, was doubling his 2024 Classic tally having conquered the 1000 Guineas. “He wasn't really handling the track and was babyish and lonely in front, but he delivered,” he said of the 100-30 second favourite. “I rode him like the best horse in the race, but that's maybe not the best way to ride him generally.”
Menuisier added, “The draw in ten wasn't favourable and we didn't want to suffer, so we decided to let him stride on. From the earlier races, we could see that nothing was coming from behind and he's pretty straightforward. He was tired at the end, but the fractions were fast and we always had the plan to come here and then drop in trip for the [G1] Prix Jean Prat and [G1] Prix Maurice de Gheest.”
German 2000 Guineas victory for @DavidMenuisier! 🤩
DEVIL'S POINT wins the Gr.2 contest in Cologne for the Sussex-based trainer, giving him a first Classic success and a 14th Group win. The colt is @Tattersalls1766 Book 1 graduate. 👏pic.twitter.com/dQ2HT9Vkcg
— GBRI (@GBRI_UK) May 20, 2024
Pedigree Notes
Devil's Point, who was also third in last year's G3 Solario S. and in the G3 Prix Djebel on his 3-year-old bow at Deauville in April, was becoming the ninth group winner for his sire here. The dam is the G2 Queen Mary S.-placed Hairy Rocket, whose other progeny include the G2 Futurity S. third The Acropolis (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), while the listed-placed second dam Asaawir (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}) produced the G3 Dick Poole S. runner-up Marsh Hawk (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). She in turn is the dam of three black-type performers headed by the G2 Flying Childers S. and G3 Molecomb S. winner Trillium (GB) (No Nay Never). Also connected to the G2 Sun Chariot S. winner and stakes-producing Talented (GB) (Bustino {GB}), Hairy Rocket's 2-year-old filly by Starspangledbanner (Aus) is named Mary Sherman (Ire) while she also has a foal full-brother to Devil's Point.
Monday, Cologne, Germany
COOLMORE ST MARK'S BASILICA GERMAN 2000 GUINEAS-G2, €125,000, Cologne, 5-20, 3yo, c/f, 8fT, 1:35.08, g/s.
1-DEVIL'S POINT (IRE), 128, c, 3, by New Bay (GB)
1st Dam: Hairy Rocket (GB), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Asaawir (GB), by Royal Applause (GB)
3rd Dam: Triple Joy (GB), by Most Welcome (GB)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€200,000 Wlg '21 GOFNO1; 475,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-Clive Washbourn; B-Hamwood Stud Unlimited Company (IRE); T-David Menuisier; J-Silvstre de Sousa. €70,000. Lifetime Record: G1SP-Eng & GSP-Fr, 8-3-1-2, €176,057. *1/2 to The Acropolis (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), GSP-Ire. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Penalty (Ger), 128, c, 3, Frankel (GB)–Praia (Ger), by Big Shuffle. 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€210,000 Ylg '22 BBAGS). O-Eckhard Sauren; B-Stiftung Gestut Fahrhof (GER); T-Henk Grewe. €28,000.
3–Ghorgan (Ger), 128, c, 3, Study Of Man (Ire)–Guavia (Ger), by Invincible Spirit (Ire). (€55,000 Ylg '22 BBAGS). O-Darius Racing; B-Stiftung Gestut Fahrhof (GER); T-Andreas Wohler. €15,000.
Margins: NK, NK, 1 1/4. Odds: 3.30, 6.30, 25.80.
Also Ran: Ten Bob Tony (Ire), Maigret (Ger), Cortado (Fr), Geography (Ger), Iron Man (Ger), Wikinger (Ire), Habrdi (Ire).
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
