Classy Colt Becomes Latest Winner By The Gurkha

The well-bred Divio (The Gurkha - Dynamic Lips, by Excellent Art) produced a smart performance to win Sunday’s three-year-old maiden at Cologne.

The Markus Klug-trained colt finished fourth over course and distance of a mile on his final two-year-old start and repeated the feat on return last month. Tracking the leaders, he was travelling well when leading from two and a half furlongs out and ran on well to win by two and a half lengths.

Owned by Stall Dipoli, Divio was bought as a yearling for €70,000. He is the first foal bred by Stall Parthenaue out of Listed winner Dynamic Lips, herself a half-sister to dual Group winner Dragon Lips (Footstepsinthesand).

Stall Parthenaue also bred German champion two-year-old Best Of Lips (The Gurkha), who recorded his second Group 3 win on his three-year-old return last month. The Gurkha’s first three-year-olds have made a fine start to the season, which comes as no surprise, given that he himself won the French 2,000 Guineas impressively and went on to land the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.