2nd-NBY, £10,000, Mdn, 5-13, 2yo, 6f 8yT, 1:16.40, g/s.
+CUNCO (IRE) (c, 2, Frankel (GB)">Frankel {GB}–Chrysanthemum {Ire} {MGSW & G1SP-Ire, $275,329}, by Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who RNA'd at 280,000gns as a TATOCT yearling and the first runner to represent his sire (by Galileo {Ire}) here, was on edge in the preliminaries and raced in a handy fifth through the early fractions of this straight dash. Coming under increased pressure to close inside the final quarter mile, the 7-2 chance kept on relentlessly for three tender flicks of Robert Havlin's persuader to overhaul Isomer (Cape Blanco {Ire}) nearing the line and win by 3/4 of a length. “I could not be more pleased as he has a few more gears left,” commented rider Robert Havlin. “I can see him getting seven furlongs by the end of year and he could be a Royal Ascot prospect, but that's something the boss [John Gosden] will decide.” Reflecting on the immediate impact made by Banstead Manor's freshman sire, Teddy Grimthorpe added, “It couldn't be better and Prince Khalid's absolutely delighted. It's really exciting and to have his first foal be his first runner and his first winner is pretty remarkable. There's been a mixture of excitement, tension and apprehension–the whole gamut of emotions. We've been excited about him, but there's been a lot of very good racehorses who weren't good stallions. From the point of view of Frankel, the interest in him has never waned. It's been ongoing and phenomenal. We've got them with a variety of trainers. [Sir] Michael Stoute has got a horse out of Midday, we;ve got a very nice horse that Andre [Fabre] likes that's a half-brother to Byword. John [Gosden] has got a few of ours as well and he rang me up straight after today's race, so he's fired up!” Cunco, kin to a yearling colt by Galileo (Ire), is a son of the dual Group 3-winning G1 Pretty Polly S. third Chrysanthemum (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and his third dam is the G3 Princess Margaret S. victress Saintly Speech (Southern Halo). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $9,348. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
O-Don Alberto Stable; B-Don Alberto Corporation (IRE); T-John Gosden.
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