5th-SAN, £6,000, Mdn, 5-19, 3-4yo, 10f 7yT, 2:11.94, g/f.
SHABEEB (c, 3, Smart Strike–Sortita {Ger}, by Monsun {Ger}), sixth on debut behind the subsequent G3 Sandown Classic Trial winner Midterm (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) over a mile at Newbury in October, was settled behind the leading quartet after the early stages. Shaken up to close inside the final two furlongs, the 2-1 favourite stayed on resolutely to gain the lead with 150 yards remaining and assert for a 1 1/4-length defeat of Plenary (Kitten's Joy). “He's a nice horse out of a really nice German mare and we've always thought a lot of him,” the owner-breeder's racing manager Richard Hills commented. “We've taken our time and he's going to be a good stayer. Hewas always going to be a horse who was better the further he went. We'll see how he comes out of this, but we'd have to look at [Royal] Ascot.” Sortita is a daughter of the sensational producer Sacarina (GB) (Old Vic {GB}), whose matings with Monsun are the stuff of legend in Germany. As if two G1 Deutsches Derby winners, Schiaparelli (Ger) and Samum (Ger), were not enough, she is also responsible for a G1 Preis der Diana (German Oaks) heroine in Salve Regina (Ger) who has in turn bred the German highweight and GII Ballston Spa H. winner Salve Germania (Ire) (Peintre Celebre). Sortita, who is also a half to the dams of another Deutsches Derby hero and sire Sea the Moon (Ger) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) and of the currently unbeaten €1.2million TDN Rising Star Fadillah (GB) (Monsun {Ger}), has already produced the G2 King Edward VII S. third Mutashaded (Raven's Pass) and has a 2-year-old by Medaglia d'Oro named Naseej (GB) and a filly foal by Sea the Stars (Ire). Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $5,666. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Shadwell Farm, LLC (KY); T-Roger Varian.
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