Godolphin’s Drachenfels (by Street Cry) scored a last stride victory when making a determined late challenge in the Rosehill Gardens straight to land the $100,000, 2018 ATC Membership Open Now Sprint over 1200 metres.



Tim Clark in action ensuring Drachenfels stretches to the line, picture Sportpix.com.au

A relatively untapped son of Street Cry (USA) building an imposing record, Drachenfels was last out of the barrier but quickly improved his position and always appeared to be travelling sweetly through the race.

Given full throttle at the top of the straight, the 4-year-old made relentless progress over the final 400 metres of the contest and just managed to get his head in front on the line.

Drachenfels has now faced the starter on 13 occasions, winning four and placing second or third on another six occasions. Significantly, all of his four wins have been at 1200-1250m, which in itself is a remarkable fact considering his breeding as a son of Street Cry and maternal grandson of Lonhro.

Sent to post the $4.40 second favourite, Drachenfels nabbed the $8.50 chance Pipeline (by Redoute’s Choice) right on the line, with Lanciato (by Per Incanto) finishing a quarter-of-length away in third place at odds of $6.50.

On a day when the winning times of the races were generally moderate, Drachenfels broke 70 seconds for the 1200-metre trip — clocking a smart 1m09.78s for the journey. The 600m sectional was a handy 34.33s.

Official distances of the event were 0.1L by 0.3L.

Very much Darley born and bred, Drachenfels hails from one a mare that raced with great prominence at the start of the Woodlands empire. He directly descends from the Ingham-raced Whistling, winner of the Listed VATC Tristarc Stakes and dam of individual stakes winners Noise (by Quest For Fame), Syrinx (by Desert Prince) and Whistle Up (by Canny Lad).