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Son Of Pivotal turns the tables on Verry Elleegant and wins his fourth race at Group 1 level
Having been denied a second win in the Ranvet Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) when beaten by Verry Elleegant (Zed) on March 27, British raider Addeybb (Pivotal) turned the tables on the multiple Group 1-winning mare to win back-to-back runnings of the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) at Randwick on Saturday.
In the pre-race build up it had been billed as a two horse race between the William Haggas-trained gelding and the Chris Waller-trained five-year-old and that came to fruition as Addeybb came out on top of a thrilling battle up the straight to beat the daughter of Zed (Zabeel) by half a length. Dalasan (Dalakhani) - who led for much of the contest finished an eye-catching head away in third.
In a tactical affair, Addeybb was tardy to jump and settled midfield before Marquand moved up to sit at the flanks of leader Dalasan approaching the 800 metre mark.
James Mcdonald made his move on Verry Elleegant before the corner, loomed up menacingly to join Addeybb. But the gelding showed his customary guts and guile to dig deep and keen the mare’s advances at bay and come away with an impressive win - his fourth at Group 1 level.
Marquand enjoyed the first Group 1 win of his career when he landed last year’s Ranvet Stakes on the gelding and he was quick to pay tribute to the faith the Haggas team have shown in Addeybb.
“Last year was incredible but I couldn't help but think what a shame it was for everyone to win a race of this magnitude with no crowd,” said Marquand. “I thought I was unlucky, but now I realise I'm twice as lucky.
"What a phenomenal bid from William Haggas to bring him back down here. I'm not going to lie, at points I was sceptical as many were. All I can say is thank you, it's been incredible.
"I was completely unaware of which horses were where, all I could feel was that they were pushing me to the line. If ever there's a horse to have at the 200 metre [pole] in a scrap, it's him."
Marquand added: "Genuinely, this is the closest I've been to tears for a very, very long time – and I'm not all that old. It's been pretty tough being away from home for a few months but I'd do it ten times over for a moment like that. "
Bought for 200,000gns at Shadwell Estate Company from the draft of Genesis Green Stud at the 2015 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale - Book 2, Addeybb is out of Bush Cat (Kingmambo) making him a half-brother to Grade 3-placed Meer Kat (Red Ransom) as well as five other winners.
Bush Cat herself is out of German Listed winner Arbusha (Danzig), making her a half-sister to Listed winner Busha’ (Mercer Mill) and Rip ‘N’ Run (Mercer Mill).
Further back this is the same family as Group 1 scorer Strategic Choice (Alleged) and Group 2 winner Nicholas (Danzig).
The gelding is one of five stakes winners, headed by two Group 1 winners bred on the Pivotal / Kingmambo (Mr. Prospector) cross with the other elite level scorer being Regal Parade.
Pivotal (Polar Falcon) - who was retired from stud duties earlier this year - has sired 153 stakes winners overall, and Addeybb is one of 32 elite level winners for the stallion.