By Sean Cronin
The Niarchos Family's homebred Highest Ground (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who earned 'TDN Rising Star' status in his debut at Leicester last year, faced fellow 'TDN Rising Star' Waldkonig (GB) (Kingman {GB}) for his seasonal return in Wednesday's Racecourse Live Streams On Racing TV Novice S. at Haydock and maintained his perfect record with an impressive success.
1st-Haydock, £5,400, Nov, 6-24, 3yo/up, 10f 100yT, 2:11.25, g/s.
HIGHEST GROUND (IRE) (c, 3, Frankel%20(GB)#tot">Frankel {GB}–Celestial Lagoon {Jpn} {SP-Fr}, by Sunday Silence), who bounded to TDN Rising Stardom after enduring a bloopers moment at the break in his Sept. 23 debut over seven furlongs at Leicester, faced fellow 'TDN Rising Star' and Listed Newmarket S. third Waldkonig (GB) (Kingman {GB}) upped in trip for this seasonal return and maintained his perfect record with an impressive 2 1/2-length success. Vocal in the preliminaries, the 13-8 second favourite did not repeat his debut mishap and was away on terms this time, stalking the leading duo in a patient third initially. Improving into second before halfway, he joined the pacesetting Waldkonig with three furlongs remaining and stayed on strongly under mainly whipless coaxing inside the final quarter mile to win going away from that rival at the line. “His return to competition has been delayed until today, he's done it very nicely and everyone's patience and care of the horse has been rewarded,” commented racing manager Alan Cooper. “He made a good impression on his debut and it's nice to see him following up with another nice impression on his second start. I'd have thought the [G1 Epsom] Derby might be too soon, but let's have a chance to speak with Sir Michael [Stoute]. He could stay a mile-and-a-half and Frankel can get them to go all trips. On the dam's side it's more limited up to a mile than a mile-and-a-half, but if you dig deep down in the pedigree there is a mare [MGSW third dam Mystery Rays] that stayed a mile-and-a-half. I think the trip today was ideal. Let's get the horse home and see what Sir Michael would like to do.” Winning rider Ryan Moore added, “He's a lovely colt and I'd be very happy with what he did today. Hopefully, he's a proper colt.” One of eight winners out of Listed Prix Herod third Celestial Lagoon (Jpn) (Sunday Silence), the May-foaled bay is kin to MGSP Listed Prix Volterra victress Night of Light (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), stakes-winning G3 Prix Chloe second Maria Gabriella (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}), the dual stakes-placed Roatan (GB) (Daylami {Ire}) and a yearling filly by Lope de Vega (Ire). Other black-type descendants of Celestial Lagoon include stakes-winning dual G3 Grosser Preis der Wirtschaft placegetter Cashman (Fr) (Soldier of Fortune {Ire}) and stakes-winning G3 Prix de la Porte Maillot runner-up Marianafoot (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}). Highest Ground's stakes-placed second dam Metaphor (Woodman) is a half-sister to GI Shoemaker Breeders' Cup Mile runner-up and MGSW sire King of Happiness (Spinning World) out of a MGSW half-sister to MGSW sire Robin des Pins (Nureyev). Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $12,452.
O/B-Niarchos Family (IRE); T-Sir Michael Stoute.
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