Raven's Pass's Malabar Beats the Boys at Goodwood

Friday, Goodwood, Britain
BONHAMS THOROUGHBRED S.-G3, £100,000, GOO, 7-31, 3yo, 8fT, 1:36.82, gd.
1–MALABAR (GB), 124, f, 3, by Raven's Pass
1st Dam: Whirly Bird (GB) (SP-Eng), by Nashwan
2nd Dam: Inchyre (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB)
3rd Dam: Inchmurrin (Ire), by Lomond
(70,000gns Ylg '13 TAOCT). O-Jon and Julia Aisbitt;
B-Woodcote Stud, Ltd. (GB); T-Michael R. Channon;
J-Silvestre de Sousa. £56,710. Lifetime Record:
10-3-1-0, $211,277. Werk Nick Rating: B +. Click
for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Kool Kompany (Ire), 131, c, 3, Jeremy–Absolutely
Cool (Ire), by Indian Ridge (Ire). (€8,000 Wlg '12
GOFNOV; £40,000 Ylg '13 DNPRM; £730,000 RNA
2yo '14 DONSEP). O-Kool Kompany Partnership;
B-Miss Imelda O'Shaughnessy (IRE); T-Richard
Hannon. £21,500.
3–Latharnach, 127, c, 3, Iffraaj (GB)–Firth of Lorne
(Ire), by Danehill. O-Godolphin; B-Darley (KY);
T-Charlie Appleby. £10,760.
Margins: 3, 3/4, HD. Odds: 6.00, 11.00, 1.50.
Also Ran: Convey (GB), Room Key (GB), Moheet (Ire), Hathal, Johnny Barnes (Ire), Aktabantay (GB), Crescent (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the brisnet.com PPs. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Already proven at this tricky track, having won the G3 Prestige S. over seven furlongs last August, Malabar took a welcome break from Group 1 company to readily outclass some highly regarded colts. Not disgraced despite failing to reach the frame in five consecutive outings against her own sex at the top level, the bay had grown a tendency to let things unfold in front before finding her rally too late. Fourth in the G1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket May 3 and eighth three weeks later in the Irish equivalent at The Curragh, she inevitably found trouble in getting a clear passage when ninth in the G1 Prix de Diane over 10 1/2 furlongs at Chantilly last time June 14, and connections reached for a visor. Showing instant benefit from that decision, Malabar was buzzy from the break, which helped her achieve a prominent pitch, and was then provided with a vital lead by the habitual front-runner Kool Kompany. Drafting in behind until swung out approaching the last furlong, she took control soon after and surged away for a commanding score. “It was a nice, even gallop and she quickened up nicely,” jockey Silvestre de Sousa commented. “She is a good filly and this trip with the visor on could be ideal for her. She could pinch a Grade I in America.” That is the direction that the Channons are looking toward now. “She ran a cracker in the Guineas and had no luck in Ireland and in France,” her trainer said. “She's not a big horse and we put a visor on her to make her a bit braver. She's done it like we knew she would and we're thinking of going to America, as there are plenty of options for fillies out there.”