GROUP GLORY FOR GERRARD

Article taken from the EBN

The Gr.3 Palace House Stakes over five furlongs saw a blistering display of speed from Captain Gerrard, a member of the first crop of Juddmonte’s OASIS DREAM. The Bryan Smart-trained colt led on the stands rail and repelled the brave challenge of last year’s Gr.1 July Cup hero Sakhee’s Secret. Sakhee’s Secret heads for the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, while the King’s Stand Stakes was being talked about for Captain Gerrard.

This was the second Group success for Captain Gerrard, who had a packed campaign last year at two, landing last year’s Gr.3 Cornwallis Stakes at Ascot, Listed Roses Stakes at York and the Listed Harry Rosebery Stakes at Ayr among his five victories from ten starts and looks to have wintered well. He is the fifth foal out of his dam, Delphinus (Soviet Star), who won at three in France and is also dam of the (Hong Kong) Gr.3 Queen Mother’s Memorial Cup winner and Gr.2 Prix Guillaume d’Ornano runner-up Saturn (Marju), and the Listed Naas Sprint Stakes third Glocca Morra (Catrail), plus the dual scorer Sedna (Priolo).

The grandam Scimitarra (Kris) won the Listed Lupe Stakes and is a half-sister to the Gr.1 (then) King’s Stand Stakes, Gr.1 Prix de l’Abbaye winner and sire Double Form (Habitat), the dual Listed winner and Gr.3 placed Smaoineamh (by Tap On Wood; dam of the Listed winner and Gr.1-placed Luminata), Gr.3 Molecomb Stakes third Galka (by Deep River; grandam of the Gr.1 Phoenix Stakes winner Eva Luna and the Gr.3 Futurity Stakes winner and sire Cois Na Tine). Other half-sisters include Greenway (Targowice), herself the dam of the Listed victor Gradiva (Lorenzaccio; ancestress of the Champion Two-Year-Old in Italy and successful first season sire Sholokhov, Gr.1 Irish Derby winner Soldier of Fortune, Oak Lodge Stud’s Gr.3 winner Heliostatic and the Gr.3 winners Marionnaud and Danelissima) and Belle Epoque (Habitat; dam of the Gr.3 Curragh Stakes winner Animata and grandam of the Gr.3 Desmond Stakes winner and sire Swift Gulliver). The third dam, Fanghorn (Crocket), was placed third in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches. Delphinus visited Invincible Spirit last year.

Date: 06 May 2008