New German import for Markdel

Another quality German-bred galloper is heading to Australia to join the exciting Lucas Cranach at Anthony Freedman’s Markdel stables.

Mawingo (b c 2008, Tertullian (USA)-Montfleur (GB), by Sadler’s Wells (USA)) will arrive in Melbourne in late January. Freedman hopes to give the horse a run in Sydney late in the autumn before embarking on a winter campaign in Brisbane, where he hopes Mawingo can qualify for a run in the 2012 Melbourne Cup.

The colt was bought by Luke Murrell’s Australian Bloodstock syndicate following the success of Lucas Cranach in the spring—Lucas Cranach finished fifth behind Southern Speed in the Caulfield Cup and third behind Dunaden in the Melbourne Cup.

Mawingo had five starts in Germany for leading trainer Jens Hirschberger, winning the Group 3 Bavarian Classic (2000m) at Munich in May, before finishing a sound fourth behind Waldpark in a strong edition of the Group 1 Deutsches (German) Derby (2400m) at Hamburg in July.

Behind him, in fifth place, was the smart English colt Black Panther—owned by soccer star Michael Owen—who went on to run second behind Masked Marvel in the Group 1 English St Leger (2800m) at Doncaster.

Mawingo hasn’t raced since taking on the older horses and finishing fifth behind Zazou in the Group 1 Premio Roma (2000m) at Capannelle in Italy in November. He was beaten less than three lengths by Godolphin’s runner-up, Rio De La Plata, who went into the race boasting a third behind superstar Frankel in the Group 1 Sussex Stakes (1600m, Goodwood) and a second behind Excelebration in the Group 1 Prix de Moulin (1600m, Longchamp), so the form around Mawingo stacks up very well.

Murrell said Mawingo caught his attention because, like Lucas Cranach, the colt has a turn-of-foot and will be suited by Australian conditions. Interestingly, it was considered by the Hirschbeger stable that Mawingo had a good chance of winning the German Derby, run on heavy ground, because of the colt’s supposed liking for wet tracks, following his Bavarian Classic win on slow ground.

“Getting so close with Lucas Cranach showed us we were on the right track to getting a Melbourne Cup winner,” Murrell, who runs Australian Bloodstock with co-director Jamie Lovett, told stallions.com.au.

“We have looked for a similar type of horse to Lucas Cranach because we think a good stayer with a strong turn of foot is the type that will be successful in the big cups next spring. With Lucas Cranach, we have two really good stayers to aim for next year’s Melbourne Cup, which is a great thrill.”

Freedman said he was keen to get his first look at Mawingo. “From what I have seen from the videos, he’s the right type of horse for Australia. This time, however, he will be here a lot earlier than Lucas Cranach, so we will have time to train him to our way,” he said.

“He also different to Lucas Cranach, who was already qualified for the Melbourne Cup and had to be prepared by Lee in quarantine in England, but with Mawingo we have time on our side—he’s young and inexperienced and he won’t be rushed.

“He’s shown he’s competitive at a top level at 2000 metres, so he could measure up to weight-for-age races as he has the necessary turn-of-foot like Lucas Cranach, who will have a chance to show his class at weight-for-age next year.”

Mawingo has an exciting female line and a stallion’s pedigree—his dam, Montfleur (by Sadler’s Wells) didn’t win in two starts in Ireland, but her dam, Mackie (by Summer Squall (USA)) was a Group 3 winner in America, and her dam, Glowing Tribute (by Graustark (USA)), a Group 2 winner, is the dam of star gallopers and leading stallions, Hero’s Honor and Sea Hero. This also is the family of the brilliant sprinter Mozart and the classy filly Wild Applause.

Mawingo’s sire, Tertullian (by Miswaki (USA)) was a five-time Group winning sprinter in Germany and Italy, and he is a three-quarter brother to Sea The Stars’ and Galileo’s champion-producing dam, Urban Sea. Tertullian’s pedigree is a wonderful mix of speed and classic stamina, and he has mixed fairly with the stoutly bred German mares, although he can’t be considered a top-shelf stallion in Germany. The average winning distance of Tertullian’s progeny is 2100 metres.

Tertullian is the sire of Bart Cummings’ imported Melbourne Cup runner Illo, two Group 1 German Guineas winners in Aviso and Irian, and the Group 3 winning 3YO colt Russian Tango.

Meanwhile, Lucas Cranach is back in light work at Markdel. He has developed a winter coat, as expected, but importantly, his feet problems are on the mend.

Photo: Mawingo after winning the Bavarian Classic.