By Sean Cronin
French challenger Angers (Fr) (Seabhac–Angel Of Harlem {Fr}, by Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), successful just once in six prior outings, was an almost unconsidered 12-1 chance for Monday's G2 38th Mehl-Mulhens-Rennen German 2000 Guineas and made a mockery of his odds with a power-packed display in the one-mile Cologne Classic. He becomes the second French-trained winner since the race's 1986 reincarnation, named in memory of Gestut Rottgen lynchpin Maria Mehl-Mulhens, and follows in the hoofprints of Alex Pantall's 2013 victor Peace At Last (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}).
Angers backed up a breakthrough success at Saint-Cloud last July with a seventh in Chantilly's Sept. 17 G3 Prix de Conde and closed his juvenile campaign with a third in ParisLongchamp's valuable Haras de Bouquetot Criterium Arqana on Arc weekend. Seventh once more in Saint-Cloud's Mar. 18 Listed Prix Omnium II on sophomore return, he finished a shade over 1 1/2 lengths adrift of subsequent G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains fifth Valimi (Fr) (Teofilo {Ire}) when third in an Apr. 20 conditions heat back at ParisLongchamp last time.
The eventual winner was shuffled back through the field after an alert getaway from an outer stall and was off the pace in seventh until turning for home. Shaken up at the top of the straight, he surged forward into contention and powered clear of toiling rivals once quickening to the fore approaching the final furlong to easily outclass Charlie Johnston trainee Finn's Charm (GB) (Kingman {GB}) by a mightily impressive six lengths. Dhangadhi (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}), representing Peter Schiergen, fared best of the home defence and lost out by a nose for second in a bobber for the minor placings.
“He's a lovely, big horse and gave me a nice feel going down to the start,” said winning rider Andrea Atzeni. “He ran very well in France last time and the trainer Mario Baratti has done a great job in keeping him spot on for this race. He was the best-looking horse in the paddock and he was, by far, the best horse in the race.”
“He's a very strong horse and we came here to win,” insisted trainer Mario Baratti. “He needs a lot of pace, which he doesn't often get in France, and he can be really good when there's a strong pace. It was a very good run behind a very good horse, in a race which is a traditional preparation for the French Guineas, last time. The only concern I had was the good ground as he is probably better on soft ground, but he got the job done.”
Pedigree Notes
Angers, who becomes the second black-type scorer and first Classic winner for his sire (by Scat Daddy), is the sixth of seven foals and one of four winners produced by G3 Prix Miesque third Angel Of Harlem (Fr) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}). He is a half-brother to his once-raced stablemate Anielska (Fr) (Ivawood {Ire}), who ran eighth behind the 'TDN Rising Star' display of Les Pavots (Ire) (No Nay Never) earlier this month. His dam is the leading performer out of Music Express (Fr) (Compton Place {Ire}), herself kin to G3 Grosser Preis der Wirtschaft victor Tahreeb (Fr) (Indian Ridge {Ire}). The January-foaled dark bay's dual stakes-winning third dam Native Twine (GB) (Be My Native) is a half-sister to MGSW G1 Prix Ganay runner-up Alderbrook (GB) (Ardross {Ire}), G3 Minstrel S.-winning sire Restructure (Ire) (Danehill) and MGSP sire Royal Strand (Ire) (Royal Academy).
Monday, Cologne, Germany
38TH MEHL-MULHENS-RENNEN – GERMANY 2000 GUINEAS-G2, €153,000, Cologne, 5-29, 3yo, c/f, 8fT, 1:33.83, gd.
1–ANGERS (FR), 128, c, 3, by Seabhac
1st Dam: Angel Of Harlem (Fr) (GSP-Fr), by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire)
2nd Dam: Music Express (Fr), by Compton Place (GB)
3rd Dam: Native Twine (GB), by Be My Native
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€22,000 Ylg '21 ARQAUG; €35,000 2yo '22 ARQMAY). O-Uranie SARL, Pegase Bloodstock, Comte Guillaume de Saint-Seine, Frederic Josenhans, Laurent Beuvin & Mme Cecilia Gatta; B-Jan Krauze (FR); T-Mario Baratti; J-Andrea Atzeni. €100,000. Lifetime Record: 7-2-0-2, €162,100. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Finn's Charm (GB), 128, c, 3, Kingman (GB)–Annabelle's Charm (Ire), by Indian Ridge (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (42,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Dr Jim Walker; B-Merry Fox Stud Ltd (GB); T-Charlie Johnston. €30,000.
3–Dhangadhi (Ger), 128, c, 3, Soldier Hollow (GB)–Dhaba (Ger), by Areion (Ger). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€120,000 RNA Ylg '21 BBAGS). O/B-Gestut Park Wiedingen (GER); T-Peter Schiergen. €13,000.
Margins: 6, NO, 2. Odds: 11.70, 7.60, 11.10.
Also Ran: Benacre (Ire), Dragon Icon (Ire), See Paris (Ger), Levanto (Ger), Devil In Pink (Ire), Duc De Morny (GB).
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