Beaten a short head by Neguev (Ire) (So You Think {NZ}) before being awarded the race on debut over 7 1/2 furlongs at Deauville Aug. 9, Akihiro was first past the post and clear best this time as he tackled his first true examination to bring up a ninth renewal for Andre Fabre. Anchored with one behind early as High Alpha set a decent tempo, the homebred had at least four lengths to make up at the top of the straight with the German raider still turning the screw. Gaining a head of steam to cut down that rival in the last 50 metres, the bay cruised to the line for an ultimately cosy success. The owner-breeders's racing manager Pierre-Yves Bureaux commented, “He ran very well first time out even though he had traffic problems and today it was a strong field, so he had to confirm his quality which he did in style. He will certainly have a future as a three-year-old, so is not certain to run again this season. It all depends on how he comes out of the race and what Mr Fabre wants to do, but if he does run again I imagine it will be in the [G1 Prix Jean-Luc] Lagardere [at Chantilly Oct. 2].”
Akihiro's dam Baahama was the winner of the Listed Prix Charles Laffitte and was second in the G3 Prix d'Aumale and is a half-sister to the G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis runner-up Opposite (Ire) (Dansili {GB}). The fourth dam is the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine and European champion Gold River (Fr) (Riverman), responsible for the sires Goldneyev and Chercheur d'Or and also Riviere d'Or (Lyphard), winner of the G1 Prix Saint-Alary and second in the G1 Prix de Diane and later the dam of the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac and G1 Coronation S. heroine Gold Splash (Blushing Groom {Fr}). Still to come from the dam is a yearling full-sister to the winner named Bartaba (Fr) and a colt foal by Motivator {GB) named Malabata (GB).
Thursday, Chantilly, France
PRIX DES CHENES-G3, €80,000, CHY, 9-8, 2yo, c/g, 8fT, 1:38.12, gd.
1–#@AKIHIRO (JPN), 128, c, 2, by Deep Impact (Jpn)
1st Dam: Baahama (Ire) (SW & GSP-Fr, $123,775), by Anabaa
2nd Dam: Silver Rain (Fr), by Rainbow Quest
3rd Dam: Riviere d'Argent, by Nijinsky II
O/B-Wertheimer & Frere (JPN); T-Andre Fabre; J-Maxime Guyon. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, €52,500. Werk Nick Rating: C. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]2–High Alpha (Fr), 128, g, 2, Fuisse (Fr)–Kikinda (Fr), by Daliapour (Ire). (€30,000 Ylg '15 AROCT). O-Eckhard Sauren; B-Patrick Chedeville (FR); T-Mario Hofer. €16,000.
3–National Defense (GB), 128, c, 2, Invincible Spirit (Ire)–Angel Falls (GB), by Kingmambo. (€280,000 Ylg '15 ARAUG). O-Sun Bloodstock SARL; B-Ecuries des Monceaux & Meridian International SARL (GB); T-Criquette Head-Maarek. €12,000.
Margins: 1, 2, 1HF. Odds: 1.70, 3.10, 3.10.
Also Ran: Sea Fox (Ire), Pazeer (Fr), Dolokhov (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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