Maljoom A Classic Winner for Caravaggio
Maljoom (3c Caravaggio x Nictate, by Teofilo) led home an international double for Caravaggio on Sunday when he won the Group II German 2000 Guineas at Cologne.
Coming only hours after Circuit Nine (3g Caravaggio x Bright Sapphire, by Galileo) won his second straight start in Hong Kong, the William Haggas-trained Maljoom raced on the rail in midpack for much of the one-mile turf race and had work to do as the field entered the final quarter mile of the race.
Showing an outstanding turn of foot, Maljoom ranged up along the runaway leader in the final sixteenth before continuing to pull away from there for a 1 ¼ length win with the third placed runner 6 ¼ lengths behind the winner.
“He's been a complete star, we're delighted to be here and delighted to have won,” Haggas’ stable representative Isabella Paul told Thoroughbred Daily News. “We like sending horses abroad when we think they've got a chance and it's always great when they win. We'll take him home, see how he is and take it from there. He holds an entry in the [G1] St James's Palace S. [at Royal Ascot].”
Owned by Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum, Maljoom is now undefeated in his three career starts with that first victory coming at Doncaster in late March.
Bred by Gce Farm, Maljoom is out of the Teofilo mare Nictate, who has produced two winners from three to race. That mare is a half-sister to the stakes-placed Sylvestris – who is also the dam of No Nay Never’s Grade III winner and Grade I-placed Vitalogy – and to stakes-placed Roof Fiddle.
This is also the family of Group III winner and Group I 1000 Guineas-placed Arch Swing in addition to Grade I winner Archarcharch and Bullards Alley.
Nictate has a juvenile U S Navy Flag filly to come as well.
Caravaggio’s three graded stakes winners, six stakes winners and 11 stakes performers is the second best of all second crop sires. That group is led by his Group I winner Tenebrism and the Group III winner and multiple Group I-placed Agartha, who was just half a length from placing in the Group I Irish 1000 Guineas on Sunday as well.