Tranquil Tiger captures Winter Derby at Lingfield

Tranquil Tiger paid a pair of Dubai Word Cup runners a compliment on Saturday by winning the $153,000, Group 3 Winter Derby on the Lingfield Park Polytrack.

In beating Suits Me by three-quarters of a length in the 1 1/4-mile contest, Tranquil Tiger was defeating the same horse Gitano Hernando had beaten by 4 1/4 lengths into second in the Winter Derby Trial over the same course and distance. Tranquil Tiger is also a Henry Cecil-trained stablemate of World Cup hopeful Twice Over, who had been finishing ahead of him in workouts throughout the winter.

Although drifting badly right after leading a furlong from the line, Tranquil Tiger, a 6-year-old son of Selkirk, was clocked in 2:03.27 for the 10 furlongs as the 11-8 favorite.

* Chinchon made a successful seasonal debut at 4.10-1 at Saint-Cloud on Saturday in the Group 3, $107,000 Prix Exbury, the first turf stakes of the year in Europe. Fourth behind Gio Ponti in last year's Man o' War Stakes and the winner of the Group 3 La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte, Chinchon defeated Starlish by two lengths with La Boum third, a nose further back. The favored Ashalanda, a two-time Group 2 winner last year, showed little in finishing seventh of nine, four lengths behind Chinchon. A son of Marju trained by Carlos Laffon-Parias Chinchon is having an international campaign mapped out for him, with trips to Hong Kong and America strong possibilities. The winning time for the 1 1/4 miles on very soft ground was 2:16.60.