Strong British Raid On Cologne’s Guineas; Rome Stages Derby

[Wandering Eyes]

Classic action in Europe on Sunday takes place in Cologne and Rome, and the G2 Mehl-Mulhens-Rennen, or German 2000 Guineas, has attracted a strong cast from Britain. G1 2000 Guineas form is represented by Great Scot (GB) (Requinto {Ire}), who was ninth in the May 4 Newmarket feature having finished second in the G3 Greenham S. over seven furlongs at Newbury on Apr. 13. That level could easily be enough, but King Power Racing’s Fox Champion (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) is intriguing based on his seven-furlong conditions success at Newmarket’s Craven meeting Apr. 18.

Echkard Sauren’s homebred G3 Preis des Winterfavoriten winner Noble Moon (Ger) (Sea the Moon {Ger}) needs to rebound from a return fifth in the G3 Dr Busch-Memorial over another half-furlong at Krefeld Apr. 28, while Australian Bloodstock Stable’s G2 Grand Criterium third Revelstoke (GB) (Toronado {Ire}) is coming into this off a confidence boost having captured a conditions event at Mulheim last time May 6.

Sunday also sees plenty of stakes action at Capannelle in Rome, where the €704,000 G2 Derby Italiano is anchored by three group races and a pair of listed contests. Among those with intrigue in the main event are Alduino Botti’s Mission Boy (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}). The bay went unbeaten through four starts at two, culminating with a win in the G2 Gran Criterium in October and also including a pair of listed wins, and after winning the Listed Premio Gardone on his 3-year-old debut he was second by 1 1/4 lengths in the G3 Premio Parioli (Italian 2000 Guineas). The Scuderia Blueberry colourbearer ventures beyond a mile for the first time in this one mile three furlong contest.

Call Me Love (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) is one of two fillies in the lineup and she will attempt to become the first female since 1936 to win this Classic. She comes with a big shot, too, with an unbeaten record that includes three wins by a combined 17 lengths. The 82,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling won the Listed Premio Camporobello last October the same day that Mission Boy won his Group 2, and she was last seen routing a 10-furlong Rome conditions race on Apr. 14. Her pedigree suggests the extra furlong will be well within her reach.

Royal Ascot Trials Day at Naas sees pointers galore to the Royal meeting, with Ballydoyle’s ‘TDN Rising Star’ Pistoletto (War Front) looking to back up his impressive Tipperary debut success in the five-furlong Coolmore Gustav Klimt Race before the stable’s duo take on Khalid Abdullah’s Peace Charter (GB) (War Front) in the G3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies’ Sprint S. Peace Charter and the re-opposing So Wonderful (War Front) were one-two over this course and distance Apr. 29 and their rematch will be fascinating with the G3 Albany S. in mind.

In the G3 Goffs Lacken S., ‘TDN Rising Star’ So Perfect (Scat Daddy) looks to book her ticket to the June 21 G1 Commonwealth Cup after her latest third in the G3 Fred Darling S. at Newbury Apr. 13. Last year’s G1 Phoenix S. runner-up and G1 Cheveley Park S. third was only fourth in the G3 Sprint S. on this card as a juvenile, but that may have been a minor blip. “She had a lovely run in the Fred Darling at Newbury at the start of the season and we are bringing her back to sprinting with a view to possibly heading for the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot,” Aidan O’Brien said. Inverleigh (Ire) (Excelebration {Ire}) beat So Perfect’s stablemate The Irish Rover (Ire) (No Nay Never) in the Listed Committed S. over nearly six at Navan last time Apr. 28 and looks a sprinter on the up.

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