Caspar takes the German 2000 Guineas Alan McCabe's stable star Caspar Netscher won the German 2000 Guineas at Cologne ths afternoon. The remarkable son of Dutch Art ran on well to gain a first success over a mile in the Group Two Mehl-Mulhens-Rennen at Cologne having finished ninth in the English version of the Classic at Newmarket on his preceding start. Held-up in rear having missed a beat at the start, Shane Kelly was content to bide his time with a steady but genuine gallop being set. As the field began to fan out turning into the straight, Kelly took full advantage of the cutaway on the inside rail to make his move up the inside of the field where he had plenty of room to make his challenge. The 3-1 favourite ran on well to reel in Amarillo and had just enough petrol in the tank to hold on and score with Red Duke back in third. John Quinn's charge had travelled strongly in fifth for Jamie Spencer but lost his position as the field turned in and found himself shuffled to the rear. Once out in the open, Red Duke jinked to his left but Spencer soon had him organised and the Hard Spun colt picked up the bit and made good late headway to edge out Axiom for the minor placing Caspar Netscher was winning the fifth race of his career and third at this level in just 13 starts. Bred by the Weinfeld family’s Meon Valley Stud in Hampshire, Caspar Netscher was pinhooked for 25,000 guineas by Katie Walsh at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sales in 2010. That purchase proved a shrewd move when the colt was snapped by up by agent Tom Malone and trainer Alan McCabe for 65,000 guineas at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale the following April 2011.
