Royal Ascot - Day Four

The G2 King Edward VII Stakes is one of the most competitive middle-distance races of the Royal meeting. Click to relive the commanding victory of Dubawi's son Monterosso in 2010.

With 23 individual G1 winners currently to his name, that Dubawi is among the world’s best stallions is a well-established fact. But among the cavalcade of his outstanding performers in recent seasons, it is easy to forget that Dubawi began breaking records with his very first crop.

No stallion has ever sired more G1 winners from their first crop than Dubawi, who notched up an incredible six winners at the highest level. That group included a Classic winner in Makfi, and just a month after the 2,000 Guineas, it also yielded a first Royal Ascot Group winner in Monterosso.

Monterosso is out of the Australian G1 winner Porto Roca and was sent into training with Mark Johnston.

He debuted late at two and few could have predicted from his fifth place finish at Wolverhampton in November 2009 what lay ahead for the bay colt.

Monterosso’s three-year-old reappearance came early when he finished second by a head over seven furlongs at Lingfield and Johnston turned him out again just eight days later when he broke his maiden in emphatic style over a mile at the same venue, winning by three and a quarter lengths.

The future juggernaut was off and rolling and Monterosso quickly added two more victories in handicaps over a mile to his tally at Lingfield and Ripon. His bid for a four-timer came to an end at Newbury in May in the London Gold Cup Handicap over ten furlongs when he was beaten four lengths by Green Moon, who made all carrying 4lbs less than Monterosso. Given that Green Moon was a subsequent winner of the G1 Melbourne Cup there was little shame in defeat, especially as the runner-up drew over three lengths clear of the third-placed Doctor Zhivago.

Monterosso was out again two weeks later, storming to victory by nearly four lengths in a competitive ten-furlong contest at Newmarket.

The stage was set for a step up in class, and Monterosso had shown more than enough in his four victories to persuade connections to pitch him straight into the deep end in the G2 King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Monterosso triumphs in the 2010 G2 King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot

Traditionally an option for those who either skipped the Derby or did not hit the target at Epsom, the King Edward VII is always a highly competitive 12-furlong contest and the 2010 renewal was no exception. The eight-strong field included the two future Classic winners in subsequent St Leger victor Arctic Cosmos and Deutsches Derby winner Buzzword, as well as At First Sight who had finished runner-up to Workforce in the Epsom Derby barely two weeks earlier. Also lining up was Monterosso’s old foe Green Moon, and the G3 Lingfield Derby Trial winner Bullet Train who would later find notoriety as the pacemaker for his phenomenal younger brother Frankel.

During the race, Monterosso tracked the leaders and quickened up well when asked to take the lead two furlongs from home. The colt was always in command in the closing stages of the race and ran out an easy winner to triumph by two and a quarter lengths over Arctic Cosmos and Buzzword.

It was a first Royal Ascot \Group victory for Dubawi, and Monterosso would of course go on to give his sire a first victory in the G1 Dubai World Cup as well, setting a track record when triumphing in 2012, having finished third the previous year.

Monterosso is now at stud at Darley Japan, where his oldest crop are yearlings of 2016. Unsurprisingly he has attracted plenty of top mares, covering over 200 high-class mares during his first two seasons at stud.

Monterosso is one of four sons of Dubawi standing worldwide for Darley. Poet’s Voice, who stands at Dalham Hall Stud, has already emulated his father by siring an Italian 2,000 Guineas winner in his first crop. He was joined at stud this year by the 2,000 Guineas and G1 Lockinge victor Night Of Thunder, standing at Kildangan Stud, while the triple G1 winner Hunter’s Light is finishing his first season at stud at Haras du Logis.

Monterosso, pictured at stud.
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