Chesham
Sire
Benvenuto Cellini (IRE) is a magnificent, blue-blooded 3-year-old colt and a premier Derby contender. Sired by the incomparable Frankel out of the brilliantly fast Breeders' Cup winner Newspaperofrecord, he represents the ultimate synthesis of elite European stamina and devastating two-year-old speed. Following a high-class juvenile campaign that included a Group 2 victory, his dominant, visually striking victory in the Group 3 Chester Vase confirms he has fully inherited his sire's classic 1m 4f stamina and elite mechanical stride.
Sire Profile: Frankel (GB)
Frankel has long established himself as a breed-shaping sire of the highest order.- Progeny Traits: He consistently passes down his immense physical scope, bottomless cardiovascular capacity, and an unusually long, bounding stride. His elite offspring thrive anywhere from a mile to 1m 4f.
- Conditions: His stock are universally versatile. They possess the raw class to win on any surface, though they often produce their most spectacular performances when allowed to utilize their massive galloping strides on fair tracks.
Female Line (Dam & Broodmare Sire)
The maternal side of this pedigree introduces a massive injection of explosive, front-running speed.- The Broodmare Sire (Lope de Vega): An elite sire who imparts sharp tactical speed, acceleration, and a fiery, competitive attitude.
- The Dam (Newspaperofrecord): She was a blazing fast, front-running turf filly in the United States, famously wiring the field in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1). She provides the fast-twitch muscle fibers that give Benvenuto Cellini his tactical cruising speed.
- The Deep Family: While the immediate dam was a miler, the deeper family ensures classic stamina. The 3rd dam produced Latrobe, winner of the Irish Derby (G1) over 1m 4f, and Pink Dogwood, runner-up in the Epsom Oaks (G1). The stamina for 12 furlongs is deeply ingrained in the bottom line.
The Cross/Nick
Frankel (Galileo line) x Lope de Vega (Shamardal line) This is a phenomenally powerful genetic blend.- The Blend: It layers the supreme middle-distance class and rolling momentum of Frankel over the aggressive, high-cruising miler speed of Lope de Vega and Newspaperofrecord.
- Result: It yields an athlete capable of traveling smoothly on the bridle in top-tier races, armed with a devastating turn of foot and the lung capacity to sustain it over classic distances.
Conditions Suitability
- Distance: 1m 4f (12 furlongs). His dominant Chester Vase win definitively answered the stamina question. The combination of Frankel and the Latrobe family line ensures 12 furlongs is his optimal trip.
- Ground/Going: Versatile. Both Frankel and Lope de Vega progeny handle cut in the ground exceptionally well, but his Chester win proves he is equally devastating on Good, sound turf.
- Track Type: Galloping tracks. Given his massive stride length (detailed below), the tight, sharp turns of Chester were theoretically against him. The fact that he won there so easily suggests he will be even more devastating on a sweeping, galloping track like the Curragh or galloping stretches of Epsom.
RaceIQ Data & Form Interpretation
The tracking metrics from his recent Chester Vase (G3) victory are nothing short of elite, revealing a colt with extraordinary physical mechanics.- Stride Length & Mechanics: He averaged a colossal 7.98m stride length (Ranked 1st), maxing out at an incredible 8.36m. Hitting over 8.3 meters of extension around the tight turns of Chester is a rare feat. It demonstrates he possesses massive physical levers and covers ground with minimal effort compared to his rivals.
- Speed & Finishing Kick: Despite racing over 1m 4f, he clocked the Rank 1 Top Speed of 39.60 MPH. Furthermore, his Finishing Speed Percentage (FSP) of 105.29% is phenomenal for a staying race. It indicates he was accelerating hard at the end of the 12 furlongs, finishing much faster than his average race speed. He was not stopping; he was pulling away.
- Pace & Positioning: His 0-20mph split of 3.06s shows he was relaxed early, sitting in third. This ability to switch off and conserve energy before deploying his massive stride is the hallmark of a true Derby horse.
- Coolmore representative Kevin Buckley said, “He handled the ground, handled the track and settled nicely for Ryan and showed all the attributes for what's needed at Epsom Downs in June.”
“He's going to be very versatile in terms of ground, but he wouldn't want to encounter heavy ground again because he has that nice turn of foot and a nice, easy moving, low action,” he added. “I'd imagine the owners will want to go to the Derby now and he's an exciting horse for the future.”
