By Tom Frary
Friday's Betfair Novice S. at Newmarket looked a strong heat on paper, but Juddmonte's Derab (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) turned the mile contest into a procession as he registered a 6 1/2-length success in the style almost demanded of a half-brother to Clarehaven's stellar Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}). Just over an hour after the filly that beat him at Newbury last time, Snow Lantern (GB) (Frankel {GB}), had proven such a disappointment at York the John and Thady Gosden-trained homebred was intent only on moving forward at a rate of knots. Always happy racing towards the front up the centre of the track under Martin Harley, the 10-11 favourite was left in control of affairs well before the two-furlong pole and hardly had to come out of second gear to set his seal on the race. Shaken up to put the result beyond doubt heading down into the “dip”, the bay was amply generous as he inflicted the heavy defeat on the well-regarded William Haggas-trained Fireworks (Fr) (Kingman {GB}), in turn a head in front of the newcomer Injazati (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}). Derab does hold an entry in the G1 Epsom Derby June 5, but John Gosden is not entertaining that great leap. “We will either keep him at a mile or go a mile and a quarter and look at options over those trips,” he said. “He has made big bounds, as he has always wanted to be in a hurry about life but he is doing things in the correct rhythm now.”
Second on debut over seven furlongs behind TDN Rising Star and subsequent G3 Tattersalls S. winner and G3 Craven S. runner-up La Barrosa (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) at Ascot on his sole juvenile start in September, Derab was 1 3/4 lengths behind Snow Lantern upped to this more suitable trip at Newbury Apr. 18 but was a different proposition this time. Ultra-professional throughout, the stoutly-bred blueblood has the world at his feet with all the indications that he will progress markedly when upped in trip. “He ran very well at Ascot first time out, then we ran into a problem in the autumn,” Gosden explained. “He came back and he was a bit fresh. We were very keen to settle him at Newbury and we were more interested in settling him than anything else. He was much more sensible today and he has run a lovely race. He has grown up a lot.”
Derab's half-sibling Enable needs little introduction, with her brilliant haul including a record-setting three G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S. and two renewals of the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, as well as the G1 Epsom and Irish Oaks, a G1 Eclipse S. and a GI Breeders' Cup Turf. The dam Concentric (GB) (Sadler's Wells), who was successful in the Listed Prix Charles Laffitte and runner-up in the G3 Prix de Flore at or around 10 furlongs, has also produced the useful Contribution (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) who was third in the G2 Prix de Pomone and G3 Prix Allez France, and Entitle (GB) (Dansili {GB}) who was second in the G3 Musidora S. Her 2-year-old full-brother to Enable is named Lenient (GB), while she also has a 2021 full-sister to Derab.
The second dam Apogee (GB) (Shirley Heights {GB}) was successful in the G3 Prix de Royaumont before producing the G3 Prix du Chemin de Fer du Nord and G3 Prix Thomas Bryon winner Apsis (GB) (Barathea {Ire}) and Dance Routine (GB) (Sadler's Wells) who took the G2 Prix de Royallieu and also the Royaumont and was runner-up in the G1 Prix de Diane. She in turn produced Flintshire (GB) (Dansili {GB}), whose exploits included two victories in the GI Sword Dancer S. and wins in the G1 Grand Prix de Paris and GI Manhattan S. as well as two second placings in the Arc. The third dam is the Epsom Oaks runner-up Bourbon Girl (GB) (Ile de Bourbon) whose best performer was the G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly winner and G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud runner-up Daring Miss (GB) (Sadler's Wells) and who is the ancestress of the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud hero Spanish Moon (El Prado {Ire}) and his G2 Ribblesdale S.-winning full-sister Spanish Sun.
5th-Newmarket, £8,050, Novice, 5-14, 3yo, 8fT, 1:38.85, g/s.
DERAB (GB), c, 3, by Sea the Stars (Ire)
1st Dam: Concentric (GB) (SW & GSP-Fr, $117,776), by Sadler's Wells
2nd Dam: Apogee (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB)
3rd Dam: Bourbon Girl (GB), by Ile de Bourbon
Lifetime Record: 3-1-2-0, $14,216. O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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