Classic-winning breeze-up graduate Caspar Netscher
For the second time this season a European Classic has fallen to a breeze-up sale graduate with Caspar Netscher’s victory in the Mehl Mulhens-Rennen (German 2,000 Guineas) at Cologne on Monday.
The Charles Wentworth-owned colt, who won the Greenham Stakes before finishing ninth in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, was consigned by jump jockey Katie Walsh at last year’s Craven Sale at Tattersalls, where he fetched 65,000gns.
The shining star from the first crop of Cheveley Park Stud stallion Dutch Art, Caspar Netscher, who was bred by Meon Valley Stud, has now won five of his 13 starts for trainer Alan McCabe, for whom Monday’s victory was a first Classic success. The German 2,000 Guineas represented the colt’s third win at Group 2 level, following back-to-back successes in last season’s Gimcrack Stakes and Mill Reef Stakes.
Earlier this month, Arqana breeze-up graduate Lucayan won the Poule d’Essai des Poulains at Longchamp, while 1,000 Guineas heroine Speciosa remains the only British Classic winner to have emanated from a breeze-up sale, having been bought for 30,000gns at DBS in 2005.
