By Sean Cronin
Stall Nizza's homebred 2-year-old Alpenjager (Ger) (Nutan {Ire}–Amora {Ire}, by High Chaparral {Ire}) encountered the 'TDN Rising Star' display of Aspirant (Ger) (Protectionist {Ger}) going one mile in his Sept. 11 debut at Dusseldorf and shed maiden status in impressive fashion when returning to action over the same course and distance last month. He was hammered into 11-5 favouritism, off the back that 3 1/2-length tally, for Sunday's G3 Krefelder Fur Krefeld Grosser Preis der Brauerei Konigshof – Herzog von Ratibor-Rennen at Krefeld and justified support at the tills with another daylight score in Germany's final pattern race of the season. Positioned in a stalking second after the early strides of a contest won last year by G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern-winning stablemate Tunnes (Ger) (Guiliani {Ger}), the eventual winner was nudged along off the home turn and powered clear in style once seizing control passing the quarter-mile marker to easily outclass Lips Freedom (Ger) (Free Eagle {Ire}) by seven lengths. Lips Freedom held on to second by a neck from the winner's stablemate Winning Spirit (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}), himself six lengths clear of the remainder.
“That was a super performance,” trainer Peter Schiergen told GaloppOnline after securing back-to-back renewals of the 8 1/2-furlong test. “At the beginning of the year, we didn't actually expect that he would run as a 2-year-old, which is why he wasn't entered for the [G3 Preis des] Winterfavoriten. We nominated him for this race because he has really come to hand over the past number of weeks. He is very much a horse for staying contests next year, including the [G1 Deutsches] Derby and [G3 Deutsches] St Leger.”
'TDN Rising Star' Aspirant became upset in the stalls during an extended loading process and struggled through halfway before running on in the straight to finish fifth. “It looked as if something was amiss,” admitted trainer Markus Klug. “However, he is a stayer and it's possible that the race was just run too fast for him.”
Alpenjager, who becomes the first black-type scorer for his sire (by Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}), is the second of four foals–all by Nutan (Ire)–and lone scorer produced by a multiple-winning daughter of G3 Hamburger Stutenmeile victrix Aslana (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}), herself a half-sister to three black-type performers headed by multiple Group-winning G1 Premio Vittorio di Capua second and sire Amarillo (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}). Descendants of his stakes-placed third dam Alte Kunst (Ire) (Royal Academy), herself a daughter of dual Classic-winning G1 Deutsches Derby runner-up Alte Zeit (Ger) (Surumu {Ger}), include G2 Diana-Trial third Artemisia (Ire) (Peintre Celebre) and G2 Grosser Preis der Badischen Wirtschaft victor G1 Deutsches Derby runner-up Alter Adler (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}). Alpenjager is full to a yearling filly and a weanling filly.
Sunday, Krefeld, Germany
KREFELDER FUR KREFELD GROSSER PREIS DER BRAUEREI KONIGSHOF – HERZOG VON RATIBOR-RENNEN-G3, €55,000, Krefeld, 11-13, 2yo, 8 1/2fT, 1:47.37, g/s.
1–ALPENJAGER (GER), 126, c, 2, by Nutan (Ire)
1st Dam: Amora (Ire), by High Chaparral (Ire)
2nd Dam: Aslana (Ire), by Rock Of Gibraltar (Ire)
3rd Dam: Alte Kunst (Ire), by Royal Academy
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Stall Nizza; B-Ursula & Jurgen Imm (GER); T-Peter Schiergen; J-Bauyrzhan Murzabayev. €32,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, €37,600. *1st stakes winner for sire (by Duke Of Marmalade {Ire}). Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Lips Freedom (Ger), 126, c, 2, Free Eagle (Ire)–Lips Arrow (Ger), by Big Shuffle. 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Stall Lintec; B-Stall Parthenaue (GER); T-Andreas Suborics. €12,000.
3–Winning Spirit (Ger), 128, c, 2, Soldier Hollow (GB)–Wamika (Ger), by Shirocco (Ger). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€80,000 Ylg '21 BBAGS). O-Liberty Racing 2021; B-Gestut Park Wiedingen (GER); T-Peter Schiergen. €6,000.
Margins: 7, NK, 6. Odds: 2.20, 4.10, 9.80.
Also Ran: See Paris (Ger), Aspirant (Ger), Sarasto (Fr), Muhalif (Ger).
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