Catching the eye when a strong-closing third in Goodwood's G1 Sussex S. July 27, Ribchester duly built on that career-best effort to capture a strong renewal of this prize and cap a weekend of note for Godolphin. One of last year's leading juveniles as a result of his form over six furlongs when second in York's G2 Gimcrack S. in August and successful in the G2 Mill Reef S. at Newbury the following month, the bay was lucky to be in the right hands as trainer Richard Fahey avoided over-facing what he described as a “baby” and he received all the backing he needed from Godolphin. In a low-key return to action, he was second before being demoted to fifth in the G3 Prix Djebel on testing ground over seven furlongs at Maisons-Laffitte Apr. 7 before finishing a non-threatening third at 33-1 in the Apr. 30 G1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.
Freshened up after that effort, Ribchester was able to defy a five-pound penalty for his Mill Reef win with some style in Royal Ascot's G3 Jersey S. back over seven June 15 and the second and third Thikriyaat (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) and Forge (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) have since shown that form to be of a high standard. Despite the merit of that performance, he entered the Sussex under-valued by the betting masses but almost stole the show as he ate into the advantage that the more positively-ridden duo The Gurkha (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Galileo Gold (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}) had carved out with every stride as the line approached.
Always travelling notably strongly under the returning William Buick on the outer in mid-division as Galileo Gold pulled too hard in front, Ribchester was even given a breather approaching two out with his rider in confident mood. Launched as Vadamos was committed on the front with a furlong remaining, he overcame that rival with 150 metres to race and was always holding his older rival at bay to suggest there was something left in the locker. “He is still a little bit immature mentally, but has improved with every run,” Fahey said. “He did well at Ascot and even better at Goodwood, but I knew he'd got stronger and better since then and today was his best yet. He has now had two races in 18 days and so needs a break to freshen him up. He'll most likely come back for the [G1] Queen Elizabeth II [S. at Ascot Oct. 15].”
Vadamos was giving his peak performance in defeat here and justifying Andre Fabre's long-held high opinion of him, which satisfied part-owner and breeder Andreas Putsch. “We are very happy with that–he ran strong to the line and put up a great performance,” he said. “I'll leave it to Andre as to when he races, but I know my Australian partners would like to see him run once there. Nothing is decided as yet.” For Jean-Claude Rouget, the third placing of Ervedya (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) represented another step back to her previous best and he commented, “She ran great and up to what I figured beforehand. The plan now is to go to Leopardstown for the [Sept. 10 G1] Matron S.”
Ribchester's dam is a half to some notable middle-distance performers, headed by the G3 Curragh Cup scorer Tactic (GB) (Sadler's Wells) and G3 Prix Minerve runner-up Yaazy (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), with more speed evident in Convergence (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) who is a son of another of her half-siblings and was happiest at seven furlongs as he showed when winning last year's G3 Ballycorus S. The second dam is a half to the G2 Premio Lydia Tesio-winning highweight Najah (Ire) (Nashwan), while the third dam is the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Mehthaaf (Nureyev). She in turn is a half to the G1 July Cup-winning sire Elnadim and therefore hails from the immediate family of Timber Country, Bianconi, Fort Wood and Hamas (Ire) and Colorado Dancer (Ire) (Shareef Dancer), dam of Dubai Millennium (GB) (Seeking the Gold). Also descended from the G2 Prix d'Astarte-winning fourth dam Elle Seule (Exclusive Native) is the MG1SW Occupandiste (Ire) (Kaldoun {Fr}), responsible for Saturday's GI Arlington Million hero Mondialiste (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Mujarah also has a filly foal by Raven's Pass to come.
Sunday, Deauville, France
PRIX DU HARAS DE FRESNAY-LE-BUFFARD – JACQUES LE MAROIS-G1, €700,000, DVL, 8-14, 3yo/up, c/f, 8fT, 1:36.16, gd.
1–&RIBCHESTER (IRE), 125, c, 3, by Iffraaj (GB)
1st Dam: Mujarah (Ire), by Marju (Ire)
2nd Dam: Tanaghum (GB), by Darshaan (GB)
3rd Dam: Mehthaaf, by Nureyev
(€78,000 Wlg '13 GOFNOV; €105,000 Ylg '14 GOFORB). O-Godolphin; B-A Thompson & M O'Brien (IRE); T-Richard Fahey; J-William Buick. €399,980. Lifetime Record: MGSW & MG1SP-Eng, 6-2-2-1, €808,924. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Vadamos (Fr), 131, h, 5, Monsun (Ger)–Celebre Vadala (Fr), by Peintre Celebre. O-Haras de Saint Pair & Fairway SAS; B-Haras de Saint Pair (FR); T-Andre Fabre. €160,020.
3–Ervedya (Fr), 128, f, 4, Siyouni (Fr)–Elva (Ire), by King's Best. O-H H The Aga Khan; B-H H The Aga Khan's Studs SC (FR); T-Jean-Claude Rouget. €80,010.
Margins: HF, 1 3/4, NO. Odds: 3.70, 4.20, 5.80.
Also Ran: Spectre (Fr), Dicton (GB), Esoterique (Ire), Stormy Antarctic (GB), Galileo Gold (GB), Lightning Spear (GB), Arod (Ire), Grand Vintage (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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