2yo MALTESE CROSS by SEA THE STARS looks an exciting prospect after getting off the mark in the opening race of the Cambridgeshire meeting at Newmarket in fine style. Having finished a close 2nd on his debut at Ascot he showed speed and determination to secure his first career success in the colours of George Waud, trained by William Haggas and in the hands of Tom Marquand.
The 2-year-old colt is another successful product of STAUFFENBERG BLOODSTOCK PINHOOKING, this time purchased as a foal at Arqana December, he was raised and prepped at their stud farm at SCHLOSSGUT ITLINGEN and consigned and sold at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sales. MALTESE CROSS displayed professionalism beyond his age to defeat a competitive field. On top of the normal prizemoney the colt collected the valuable October Book I Bonus of £25,000.
Haggas said: “He’s a nice horse and I liked the way he stayed on up the hill. He wants a mile and a half, but I’m never keen to run them over too far at two. I don’t know whether he’ll run again this year, I don’t think he needs to. He’ll learn a lot from that and we might just aim him at a race in the spring and then see where we are.
“Tom was quite complimentary. Quite the value of the form, I don’t know, but we think he’s a nice prospect and he’s got a lot of furnishing and maturing to do. If he does furnish and mature, which he might, there’s lots of stamina in the pedigree and he’s got a good brain, so who knows?
