Straightforward For Wissahickon In The Derby

[Wandering Eyes]

He was 1-4 for Saturday’s G3 Betway Winter Derby, so anything other than a smooth winning performance from George Strawbridge’s Wissahickon (Tapit) would have caused consternation and the likeable chestnut let nobody down in the Lingfield showpiece. Always coasting comfortably in fourth under Frankie Dettori, the son of the GI Del Mar Oaks heroine No Matter What (Nureyev) had only stablemate Court House (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) up ahead turning for home as he was coaxed into animation. Mastering his barnmate at the top of the straight, he stretched to a 3 1/4-length success as the third-placed Pactolus (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) languished a further 3 1/2 lengths away.

Bar one blip when ridden too aggressively as he finished eighth in a competitive 10-furlong handicap at Newmarket’s July meeting last July, Wissahickon’s record has been exemplary and he is a colt clearly going places. Few horses can win Newmarket’s Cambridgeshire H. by 3 3/4 lengths, but the homebred managed that with a degree of ease in September and was kept on the go to garner the Dec. 22 Listed Quebec S. over this course and distance.

Returning Feb. 2 for the Listed Winter Derby Trial, he was emphatic there and carried on that momentum to provide his amazing dam with another pattern-race success. On all evidence, he is going to be a serious contender for the major Grade I races when the switch to the States inevitably happens, possibly later this year as was mooted by John Gosden after his previous win.

For the immediate future, Wissahickon faces a choice of two contrasting tests, according to his trainer. “We could freshen up and wait for the [Apr. 19] Easter Classic and that would be the logical thing to do, but there’s some talk about World Cup night in Dubai, so we’ll see,” he told the Racing Post. “We have to be invited to Dubai–we wait for them–but I think if Wissahickon did go we would be talking about the Sheema Classic, over a mile and a half. He’s rated high enough and I think either a mile and a quarter or a mile and a half would be fine now that he switches off so well.”

Pedigree Notes

No Matter What’s record is illustrious. She has produced this stable’s star distaffer Rainbow View (Dynaformer), European champion 2-year-old filly as a result of her triumphs in the G1 Fillies’ Mile and G2 May Hill S. who later annexed the GI Matron S. at Leopardstown and GIII Gallorette H. in the States; the GIII Arlington H.-winning sire Just As Well (A.P. Indy), who was runner-up in the GI Arlington Million, GI Northern Dancer Turf S. and GI Gulfstream Park Turf H.; the GIII Bewitch S. and GIII All Along S. scorer Winter View (Thunder Gulch); and Utley (Smart Strike), who captured the GII Dixie S. A half-sister to the GII Suburban H. and GII Dwyer S.-winning sire E Dubai (Mr. Prospector) from the family of this stable’s GI Breeders’ Cup Classic hero Raven’s Pass (Elusive Quality), she has a yearling colt by Temple City. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

Saturday, Lingfield, Britain
BETWAY WINTER DERBY S.-G3, £100,000, Lingfield, 2-23, 4yo/up, 10f (AWT), 2:01.28, st.
1–WISSAHICKON, 126, c, 4, by Tapit
1st Dam: No Matter What (GISW-US & SW-Fr, $185,726), by Nureyev
2nd Dam: Words of War, by Lord At War (Arg)
3rd Dam: Right Word, by Verbatim
1ST GROUP/GRADED STAKES WIN. O-George Strawbridge;
B-Augustin Stable (KY); T-John Gosden; J-Frankie Dettori.
£56,710. Lifetime Record: 10-8-1-0, $339,409. **1/2 to
Rainbow View (Dynaformer), Ch. 2yo Filly-Eur, Hwt. 3yo
Filly-Ire at 6.5-9.5f, G1SW-Eng & Ire, GSW-US & GISP-Can,
$1,129,814; Just As Well (A.P. Indy), GSW & MGISP-US,
$859,582; Utley (Smart Strike), GSW-US & SP-Eng, $466,598;
and Winter View (Thunder Gulch), GSW-US, $328,909. Werk
Nick Rating: C. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Court House (Ire), 126, c, 4 , Dawn Approach (Ire)–Crossanza
(Ire), by Cape Cross (Ire). (€38,000 RNA Wlg ’15 GOFNOV;
€200,000 Ylg ’16 GOFORB). O-H. R. H. Princess Haya of Jordan;
B-Nanallac Stud (IRE); T-John Gosden. £21,500.
3–Pactolus (Ire), 126, g, 8, Footstepsinthesand (GB)–Gold Marie
(Ire), by Green Desert. (€5,000 RNA Wlg ’11 GOFNOV; €10,000
Ylg ’12 GOFSPT; 21,000gns 2yo ’13 TATHIT; 28,000gns RNA
HRA ’17 TATHIT). O-T W Morley & Mrs J Morley; B-Tom
McDonald (IRE); T-Stuart Williams. £10,760.
Margins: 3 1/4, 3HF, HD. Odds: 0.25, 14.00, 40.00.
Also Ran: Big Country (Ire), Chiefofchiefs (GB), Master The World (Ire), Hathal. Click for the Racing Post result. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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