The rags to riches story of Ridgemont Highlands five-time Gr1 winning sire Canford Cliffs incredible daughter Jin Jin took another step on Sunday when the unbeaten five year old Irish-bred mare made it seven from seven in the Gr2 Grosser Aengevelt Immobilien Preis Badener Meile at Düsseldorf.
With the cancellation of the Spring Meeting at Baden-Baden this year, the Group 2 Badener Meile moved to the undercard of Sunday’s 1000 Guineas raceday at Düsseldorf.
The athletic Canford Cliffs stands at Ridgemont Highlands
Eight runners contested this year’s renewal of the race. All eyes appeared to be on Jin Jin, who was sent off the well supported 31/10 favourite for the race.
Bought for just 4000 Euros by current owner Sabine Goldberg at the Goffs Open Yearling Sale in October 2017, Jin Jin was sent to Hannover-based trainer Bohumil Nedorostek. Unraced as a two year old, Jin Jin made her racecourse debut at three, winning a maiden race and a pair of small handicaps. However, last year saw Jin Jin scale new heights.
After winning two Listed races at Baden-Baden and Hannover respectively, Jin Jin contested the Gr3 Prix Perth at Saint Cloud in October, and won the race comfortably, beating some high class opposition the process.
Having moved from Nedorostek’s yard to the stables of Cologne-based Andreas Suborics for this season, Jin Jin took up the running early on under jockey Bauyrzhan Murzabayev, and was never seriously challenged, coming home 2½ lengths clear of Alpen Rose, who was giving French trainer Henri-Alex Pantall his second runner-up finish of the day after Sky Angel filled the same place in the German 1000 Guineas earlier in the day.
However, despite the resounding victory, trainer Andreas Suborics revealed that Jin Jin wasn’t fully fit after her seven month racecourse absence ‘She was only about 85% today as she had a small problem a few weeks ago, but I’m really happy to have such a good horse, and she’s a class act’, said Suborics, who also mentioned that Jin Jin may head to Deauville for a Gr1 contest in the future.
Richard Hughes and Canford Cliffs celebrate at Royal Ascot (Pic- British Champions Series)
Her sire Canford Cliffs has produced more than 30 stakes winners in both hemispheres and covered well over 100 mares in his first South African season two years ago.
His highly anticipated first South African crop which went on sale this year includes half-sisters to champion Russian Sage, Gr1 winner Divine Jury and the dual Gr2 Gold Bracelet queen Running Brave, as well as half-brothers to Gr2 winner My Sanctuary and Gr3 Track & Ball Oaks winner Seville Orange.
www.anglogermanracing.com – further reporting by SP editorial staff
