Alain and Gerard Wertheimer's Junko (GB) (Intello {Ger}–Lady Zuzu, by Dynaformer), who hit the board in July's G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud earlier this term, encountered just three rivals in Sunday's 12-furlong G1 Grosser Allianz Preis von Bayern at Munich and made virtually all to claim a career high in Europe's final Group 1 contest of the season.
Last term's G3 Prix Noailles and this term's G3 Prix de Reux victor, third in ParisLongchamp's Oct. 15 G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris when last seen, was uncomfortable with an early crawl and immediately upped the tempo when seizing control approaching the judge first time. Comfortable on the lead until nudged along in early straight, the 13-10 second favourite was beyond recall once stretching clear passing the quarter-mile marker and stayed on relentlessly in the latter stages to easily account for Assistent (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) by three lengths. Gestut Ittlingen's G1 Preis von Europa heroine and 11-10 favourite India (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) was unable to land a telling blow and finished 2 1/2 lengths adrift in third, four lengths clear of the whipper-in Best Of Lips (Ire) (The Gurkha {Ire}). Junko will now point to the G1 Hong Kong Vase.
“He is a very big horse who needs time to get going and the slow early pace was not ideal, so I let him canter to the front,” Bauyrzhan Murzabayev told GaloppOnline. The jockey, who will ride for the Peter Schiergen stable next season after spending a year based with Andre Fabre, added, “I was sitting on the best horse in the race, so I could risk letting him take the lead and make his own race. He loved the soft ground, the trainer knows exactly what he's doing and I am grateful for the opportunity of riding him today.”
Pedigree Notes
Junko, his sire's third Group 1 winner, is the leading performer out of GIII Regret S. and GIII Edgewood S. placegetter Lady Zuzu (Dynaformer), herself kin to MGSW GI Woodford Reserve Turf Classic and GI Woodford Reserve Manhattan H. runner-up Optimizer (English Channel) and to the dam of stakes-winning GI Belmont Derby Invitational third Cellist (Big Blue Kitten). The April foaled-homebred bay's third dam, GI Hempstead H. victrix Fantastic Find (Mr. Prospector), produced GI Acorn S. and GI Matron S. heroine Finder's Fee (Storm Cat), herself the third dam of unbeaten GI Breeders' Cup Classic hero and sire Flightline (Tapit). Junko, kin to a yearling colt by Siyouni (Fr) and a weanling colt by Uncle Mo, hails from the family of elite-level winners Dancing Spree (Nijinsky), Furlough (Easy Goer), Heavenly Prize (Seeking The Gold) and Oh What A Windfall (Seeking The Gold).
Sunday, Munich, Germany
GROSSER ALLIANZ PREIS VON BAYERN-G1, €155,000, Munich, 11-5, 3yo/up, 12fT, 2:47.06, g/s.
1–JUNKO (GB), 132, g, 4, by Intello (Ger)
1st Dam: Lady Zuzu (MGSP-US, $112,615), by Dynaformer
2nd Dam: Indy Pick, by A.P. Indy
3rd Dam: Fantastic Find, by Mr. Prospector
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O/B-Wertheimer & Frere (GB); T-Andre Fabre; J-Bauyrzhan Murzabayev. €100,000. Lifetime Record: MGSW-Fr, 12-6-2-3, €435,020. Click for the the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Assistent (Ger), 132, c, 4, Sea The Moon (Ger)–Anna Kalla (Ger), by Kalatos (Ger). (€58,000 Ylg '20 BBAGS). O-Eckhard Sauren & Liberty Racing 2020; B-Gestut Rottgen (GER); T-Henk Grewe. €30,000.
3–India (Ger), 129, m, 5, Adlerflug (Ger)–Ivory Coast (Fr), by Peintre Celebre. O-Gestut Ittlingen; B-Gestut Hof Ittlingen (GER); T-Waldemar Hickst. €15,000.
Margins: 3, 2HF, 4. Odds: 1.30, 4.10, 1.10.
Also Ran: Best Of Lips (Ire). Scratched: Rebel's Romance (Ire).
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