Convey Edges Out Winter Derby Victory

Great Britain's first pattern race that heralds the approaching flat season is the Betway Winter Derby (G3), conducted at 10 furlongs of Lingfield's Polytrack surface. 

Established in 1998, the race celebrated its 2017 renewal Feb. 25 with a finish worthy of its 20th anniversary.

A field of nine older horses faced the starter, with Melbourne 10 Racing's 7-year-old Authorized gelding Battalion the 7-4 favorite.

Third choice was Robert Ng's Convey, a 5-year-old Dansili horse trained by Sir Michael Stoute, making his first start of the year and his first since being purchased for 130,000 guineas (US$166,380) from the Juddmonte consignment to the Tattersalls horses in training sale last year.

Convey and jockey Andrea Atzeni were content with a mid-field stalking trip behind the pace set by Pinzolo and Zhui Feng. Two furlongs from the wire, Pinzolo began his earnest running, attempting to out-quicken the onslaught that was gathering behind him. Absolute Blast, Grendisar, and Zhui Feng, joined by Convey, found themselves in the mix within the final furlong.

But Convey, traveling the most comfortably, nipped Pinzolo by a neck at the wire. Absolute Blast finished a head back in third and a neck better than Zhui Feng, who had another neck on Grendisar.

Battalion was another 3 1/2 lengths back in sixth. You're Fired and Mythical Madness completed the order of finish. Solar Deity did not finish. The final time for the 10 furlongs was 2:04.68.

Bred in Great Britain, Convey, a bay with a bold star, won a listed race in the Juddmonte colors. He is the ninth foal from the Mr. Prospector mare Insinuate. A stakes winner herself, Insinuate has produced two other black-type winners prior to Convey: group 3 winner Stronghold (Danehill) and Take The Hint (Montjeu). Her winning Sadler's Wells daughter Indication, to the cover by Dansili, foaled black-type winner Stipulate. 

Juddmonte acquired the family when it purchased the unraced multiple stakes-producing Cloudy Dawn mare Lost Virtue at the 1986 Keeneland November sale in foal to Topsider for $375,000. Her dam, Aunt Tilt, is a half sister to Horse of the Year and influential sire Damascus.

For Juddmonte, Lost Virtue foaled classic-placed group 1 winner All At Sea (Riverman), the second dam of Convey, and stakes winner Quandary (Blushing Groom).

The victory was Convey's third in 14 starts, and the prize money brought his earnings to $182,461.

Supporting the feature on the Lingfield card was the listed Betway Hever Sprint Stakes, run at five furlongs. The Morley Family's 6-year-old gelding Royal Birth, trained by Stuart Williams and ridden by Aaron Jones, earned his first black-type win with a half-length victory over Lancelot du Lac (Shamardal). Verne Castle finished third. The finishing time was a record :56.77. 

Bred in Great Britain by Old Mill Stud, S. Williams, and J. Parry, Royal Birth is the newest stakes winner for his sire Exceed And Excel (Danehill), pushing his total to 131, with four in 2017. His dam, the Royal Applause mare Princess Georgina, is a full sister to group 2 winner Mister Cosmi and to stakes winner Auditorium.