Sea The Moon records first Pattern winner as Quest strikes

Sea The Moon - the runaway German Derby winner who stands at Kirsten Rausing's Lanwades Stud in Newmarket - posted his first Pattern winner on Sunday as Quest The Moon landed the 7f Group 3 Wackenhut Mercedes-Benz-Preis Zukunftsrennen at Baden-Baden.

The Sarah Steinberg-trained colt was kept up to his work by Oisin Murphy and emerged on top in a thrilling finish - beating Dragon Pulse filly I'll Have Another by a neck, with the same margin back to Helmet filly Peace Of Paris in third.

Raced by Stall Salzburg, Quest The Moon was acquired for €67,000 as a yearling at the BBAG Sales and Racing Festival.

He was consigned by breeder Gestut Gorlsdorf, who also bred and raced Sea The Moon, with the same operation operation having bought Quest The Moon back for €32,000 in the same sales ring the previous month.

Such buybacks appear to be more common in Germany than anywhere else, with a large contingent of BBAG vendors made up of owner-breeders.

Indeed, German Derby-winning pair Windstoss and Weltstar, both out of Wellenspiel, were bought back by owner-breeder Gestut Rottgen for a combined €56,000.

Rottgen also retained Wellenspiel's two-year-old colt by Reliable Man, named Walerian, for €110,000 at last year's BBAG Premier Yearling Sales and her Kamsin colt Worrick for €130,000 at this year's renewal.

Quest The Moon is the second foal out of the unraced Rock Of Gibraltar mare Questabella, an unraced sister to the Newmarket Stakes scorer and King Edward VII Stakes second Your Old Pal.

Questabella's third dam is Meon Valley Stud's blue hen Reprocolor and traces back to her through Prix de l'Opera heroine Bella Colora.

Sea The Moon added three new winners to his tally in August, with Albanita successful at Chelmsford, Privilegiado getting off the mark in Norway and Three Comets - who at 525,000gns was his most expensive yearling - a smooth winner at Hamilton on Friday.

The seven-year-old son of Sea The Stars has commanded a €15,000 fee since he was retired to Lanwades.

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