Sky Safari Edges Chancellor by Neck to Win G3 Midnite Winter Derby

Sky Safari produced a late outside rally to edge Chancellor by a neck in the G3 Midnite Winter Derby at Lingfield, with Daniel Muscutt in the saddle for trainer James Fanshawe and owner Mrs Mary Slack. The 10f 1y all-weather renewal was run in 2:04.15 over a closely-grouped five-runner field, and the result delivered Sky Safari her 1ST GROUP WIN and a first prize printed as ,56,710.

The race unfolded with the five runners kept tight early as Ryan Moore took Nebras to the front and Boiling Point tracked that one while Sam James put pace into the contest over three furlongs out. Sky Safari, relatively keen at the rear for much of the trip, came under pressure on the home turn, fanned wide into the straight and kept on powerfully down the outside to come over the top at the furlong pole and deny the heavily-backed Chancellor in the dying strides.

Sky Safari is shown in the chart as "125, m, 5" by Zoustar out of Moonlight Sonata by Galileo. The February-foaled homebred bay closed last term with three straight victories, including a Listed Fleur de Lys Fillies' Stakes success, and had returned from a runner-up finish in last month’s Winter Oaks Handicap. Racing at odds of 6-1, she improved her lifetime record to 11-7-2-0 with career earnings listed as $236,286 and a Werk Nick Rating of D+.

Chancellor is listed as "128, g, 4," by Kingman out of Queen’s Trust by Dansili and is owned and bred by Cheveley Park Stud Ltd. Trained by John and Thady Gosden and carrying the TDN Rising Star tag into the contest, Chancellor added 2nd prize printed as ,21,500 to his record and was described in the market as heavily-backed for the Midnite Winter Derby.

The chart lines confirm MIDNITE WINTER DERBY STAKES-G3, ,100,000, Lingfield, 2-21, 4yo/up, 10f 1y (AWT), 2:04.15, st. Aside from Sky Safari, Chancellor, Nebras and Boiling Point, the field comprised one other runner to make up the five starters. Ryan Moore and Sam James were the other named riders on the card, with Nebras setting the early tempo and Boiling Point influential through the mid-race phase.

Sky Safari’s victory marked a career high over Lingfield’s 10-furlong strip and a notable pattern-race breakthrough for owner Mrs Mary Slack and trainer James Fanshawe, while Chancellor’s narrow defeat underlined his emerging pattern-race form for Cheveley Park Stud and the Gosdens. The official chart tokens list the winning connections and pedigree details, and the performance leaves Sky Safari with her first Group black-type success to build on from the winter campaign.