TOP OF THE PILE
In one of the highlights of the entire Deauville festival, Antonio Caro and Gerard Augustin-Normand's G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero Almanzor (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) returned in fighting form to again deny His Highness The Aga Khan's Zarak (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) with a telling late surge in Monday's G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano. Virtually anyone who is anyone in the French Classic generation was here, with even the G3 Rose of Lancaster S. winner Royal Artillery (War Front) thrown in for good measure but it was the French Derby winner who crowed loudest with the extra gear that sets him apart. Settled in rear early, the bay who started only third favourite at 3-1 swamped the Jockey Club runner-up Zarak in the last 75 metres and hit the line strong with a length to spare. “He really impressed me,” trainer Jean-Claude Rouget commented. “That was a good run first time back after his break and he has that turn of foot that only top horses have.”
Monday, Deauville, France
PRIX GUILLAUME D'ORNANO – HARAS DU LOGIS SAINT-GERMAIN-G2, €400,000, DVL, 8-15, 3yo, 10fT, 2:09.63, gd.
1–ALMANZOR (FR), 128, c, 3, by Wootton Bassett (GB)
1st Dam: Darkova, by Maria's Mon
2nd Dam: Darkara (Ire), by Halling
3rd Dam: Daralbayda (Ire), by Doyoun (Ire)
(€100,000 Ylg '14 ARAUG). O-Ecurie Antonio Caro & Gerard Augustin-Normand; B-Haras d'Etreham (FR); T-Jean-Claude Rouget; J-Jean-Bernard Eyquem. €228,100. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Fr, 8-6-0-1, €1,187,100. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Zarak (Fr), 128, c, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Zarkava (Ire), by Zamindar. O-H H The Aga Khan; B-H H The Aga Khan's Studs SC (FR); T-Alain de Royer-Dupre. €88,000.
3–Royal Artillery, 128, c, 3, War Front">War Front–Masseuse, by Dynaformer. ($450,000 Wlg '13 FTKNOV). O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-JPR Stable LLC (KY); T-John Gosden. €42,000.
[bullet ad=”darbydan-shell”][bullet ad=”irt-shell”][bullet ad=”us-bred-ky-bred-ft-grad”]Margins: 1, 1 1/4, 2. Odds: 3.00, 2.90, 8.00.
Also Ran: Taareef, Steel of Madrid (Ire), Ultra (Ire), Heshem (Ire), Sky Kingdom (Ire), Lamarck (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Like his G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and G1 Prix de Diane-winning stablemate La Cressonniere (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), Almanzor whose career began undercover in the provinces crept to prominence rather than stormed there. His 2-year-old campaign was highlighted by a win in the low-profile Listed Grand Criterium de Bordeaux over a mile in October, which preceded a disappointing seventh in the G1 Criterium International over seven furlongs at Saint-Cloud the following month. His return third in the G3 Prix de Fontainebleau back at a mile at Chantilly Apr. 20 was a solid if unspectacular effort and hardly set him apart and it was only after he had made all in the nine-furlong G3 Prix de Guiche also at Chantilly May 10 that he began to shape as a Jockey Club contender. Considered a bit-player at best starting at 19-1 for that June 5 10 1/2-furlong Classic, he surprised the majority with his latent acceleration in the event which proved too much for his much more illustriously-bred rival Zarak and he had 1 1/2 lengths to spare at the finish. Despite that clear-cut evidence of his superiority, he evidently had still to win over the hearts and minds of the French racing public as he was priced bigger than both that rival and the 23-10 favourite Ultra (Ire) (Manduro {Ger}) for this tough reappearance.
Settled by regular rider Jean-Bernard Eyquem with just Ultra behind early on the tail of Zarak as Royal Artillery led at an honest tempo, Almanzor kept tabs on the son of Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar) who was launched stand's side by Christophe Soumillon in the straight. For a while, it looked as though the Derby form would be reversed but the Rouget runner was only just getting going and his overwhelming late rush subdued his arch-rival quickly inside the last half-furlong. “He is now ready for the second part of the season,” his trainer said. “It was always the plan to go for the [G1] Irish Champion [S. at Leopardstown Sept. 10], as the track will suit and so we'll have a go and see from there. The [G1] Champion S. [at Ascot Oct. 15] is a possibility after and so is the [G1 Prix de l']Arc [de Triomphe at Chantilly Oct. 2], but to me I don't feel he is a mile-and-a-half horse.”
Zarak has yet to win a group 1 prize that his dam took pleasure in hoarding, but trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre was taking heart from his latest reversal. “I am delighted with the run and the jockey did not give him a hard race, so it was a good return,” he commented. We'll see if he stays a mile and a half in the [G2] Prix Niel [at Chantilly Sept. 11] next time and if he does he can go for the Arc.” Royal Artillery's trainer John Gosden said of the third, “He has run a nice, solid race behind two nice horses and so we have to be pleased.”
Flying the flag for his G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere-winning sire Wootton Bassett, Almanzor's listed-winning second dam Darkara is a half to the dam of the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, G1 Prix du Moulin and G1 Prix d'Astarte-winning champion Darjina (Fr) (Zamindar). His fourth dam is the G3 Prix Minerve winner Daralinsha (Empery), who is a half to the Australian group 3 scorer Gentle Genius (Aus) (Danehill) and counts another Prix du Jockey Club hero in Darsi (Fr) among her descendants. Darkova has a full-sister to the winner named Troarn (Fr) and a yearling half-brother by Falco.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
