Victorious Forever’s DUTY FIRST returned to form in Germany when she finished second in a Group 3 in Cologne on 28th September.
It was her best performance since her fourth in the Irish 1,000 Guineas in the summer – a performance that followed her Group 3 success in the Fred Darling Stakes at Newbury.
Ridden by Hollie Doyle, she raced prominently to finish a length and a half behind the home-trained winner Shootout in the Dingers Gartencenter Koln – Sprint Trophy with British-trained favourite Vafortino back in fifth for Kevin Philippart De Foy and Luke Morris.
Hollie was in charge again when Summertime Blues supplemented his August win at Chepstow by following up in a seven-furlong handicap on the Lingfield Park Polytrack on 13th September. Sent off the odds-on favourite, Christopher Wright and Emily Asprey’s three-year-old was always in command in defying a seven-pound rise in the weights.
On the same card, Middleham Park Racing’s Ventura Dream initiated a double when he justified favouritism in a mile handicap for Hollie, edging clear by three parts of a length from market rival Elvetham.
There was also a first career success for Ecurie Ama.zingteam’s flashy chestnut Kuu who made a winning handicap debut in a seven-furlong nursery at Leicester on 9th September. Returning from a short break having been gelded and sent off the 6-4 favourite, the son of Kameko scored readily for Hollie to beat subsequent winner Kalokalo by three-quarters of a length.
By Simon Mapletoft
