Invincible Spirit's Inns of Court Finds His Metier

So often a nearly-horse over seven furlongs and a mile, Sunday saw Godolphin's Inns of Court (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) find his metier as he wholeheartedly approved a drop to six furlongs when impressing in the G3 Prix de Ris-Orangis at Maisons-Laffitte. Last year's G1 Prix Jacques le Marois runner-up was ridden with confidence despite the different question asked by Mickael Barzalona, poised in rear early but the reply was emphatic when it came. Rushing to the lead 150 metres out, the 13-10 favourite who was last seen finishing second in the seven-furlong G3 Prix de la Porte Maillot at ParisLongchamp June 30 surged clear to beat the prolific winner King Malpic (Fr) (King's Best) by two lengths, with 3/4 of a length back to the leading Spanish sprinter Abrantes (Spa) (Caradak {Ire}) in third in what appeared a solid renewal. “He fully deserved that win,” Andre Fabre said after delivering an afternoon group-race double for Godolphin. “He doesn't quite stay a mile and is best at six and seven, so the [6 1/2-furlong G1] Prix Maurice de Gheest [at Deauville Aug. 5] is next.”

Inns of Court, who lost his unbeaten record when sixth in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains over Deauville's straight mile last May, had settled beautifully into that niche that exists for the in-betweeners caught either side of the sprints and a mile and garnered this track's G3 Prix du Palais-Royal in June and G3 Prix de la Porte Maillot back at Deauville the following month. Losing out in a bobber to then-stablemate Al Wukair (Ire) (Dream Ahead) in the latter venue's showpiece Jacques le Marois in August, the bay proved conclusively that a mile on soft ground stretched him beyond his limits when fifth in the G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp at Chantilly in September. Undone by two Freddy Head-trained 3-year-old fillies in Polydream (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and Efaadah (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) attempting to defend his titles in the June 2 Palais-Royal and Porte Maillot, he was in need of a new experiment and there was only one way to go. Helped by the absence of one of the country's leading sprinters Finsbury Square (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) and the fact that one-time dignitary Signs of Blessing (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) is plainly past his best, the homebred still readily upstaged some smart rivals here and could find his return trip to Deauville's August meeting having a happier result.

Inns of Court's dam Learned Friend (Ger) (Seeking the Gold) is a daughter of the G1 Premio Lydia Tesio heroine Lune d'Or (Fr) (Green Tune), who also produced the G3 Radio Nikkei Sho runner-up Fierement (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). The second dam is the listed scorer and G3 Prix Fille de l'Air runner-up Luth d'Or (Fr) (Noir et Or {GB}), who is herself a half-sister to the champion miler Luth Enchantee (Fr) (Be My Guest). That G1 Prix Jacques le Marois and G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp heroine is also the second dam of the G3 Prix Chloe and GIII Noble Damsel H. winner and stakes-producing Khumba Mela (Ire) (Hero's Honor). Learned Friend also has an as-yet unnamed yearling colt by Dawn Approach (Ire).

Sunday, Maisons-Laffitte, France
PRIX DE RIS-ORANGIS-G3, €80,000, Maisons-Laffitte, 7-15, 3yo/up, 6fT, 1:10.55, g/s.
1–INNS OF COURT (IRE), 127, c, 4, by Invincible Spirit (Ire)
1st Dam: Learned Friend (Ger), by Seeking the Gold
2nd Dam: Lune d'Or (Fr), by Green Tune
3rd Dam: Lune d'Or (Fr), by Noir et Or (GB)
O-Godolphin SNC; B-Darley (IRE); T-Andre Fabre; J-Mickael Barzalona. €40,000. Lifetime Record: G1SP-Fr, 10-5-3-0, €351,390. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”frbc-trained-at-chantilly-2018″]2–King Malpic (Fr), 127, g, 5, King's Best–Sablonniere (Fr), by Verglas (Ire). (€6,000 Wlg '13 ARQDEC). O-Ecurie Lafeu; B-Ecurie Skymarc Farm (FR); T-Thierry Lemer. €16,000.
3–Abrantes (Spa), 127, g, 5, Caradak (Ire)–Abril (Fr), by Anabaa. O-Cuadra Bidasoa; B-Rafael Usoz Lopez (SPA); T-Guillermo Arizkorreta Elosegui. €12,000.
Margins: 2, 3/4, HD. Odds: 1.30, 6.00, 23.00.
Also Ran: Presidency (GB), Signs of Blessing (Ire), Time's Arrow (Ire), Cheikeljack (Fr), Arecibo (Fr), My Lea (Ire). Scratched: Finsbury Square (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.