Ziyad Conquers The Grand Prix

Upping his game when runner-up in the June 30 G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, the Wertheimers' Ziyad (GB) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) had his moment in the sun when taking full advantage of a class-drop in Sunday's G2 Lucien Barriere Grand Prix de Deauville. Content using the pacemaker of Nagano Gold (GB) (Sixties Icon {GB}) as his own as he travelled with purpose in second, the 2-1 second favourite thrust into a clear lead with two furlongs remaining as the Czech 17-10 favourite floundered on his inside. Never in danger thereafter, the homebred had a cozy half-length margin to spare over Soft Light (Fr) (Authorized {Ire}) at the line, with Nagano Gold two lengths behind in third.

Mainly consistent this term, the homebred who was tried over longer trips in the autumn returned to be second in the Listed Prix de la Porte de Madrid over this trip at Saint-Cloud on Mar. 26 before finishing 10th of 11 behind Nagano Gold in the Apr. 14 Listed Prix Lord Seymour at ParisLongchamp. Well beaten when third in the Listed Prix Bedel at Lyon-Parilly on May 8, he began to hit his stride when runner-up in the June 2 G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly before confirming his upgraded status in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.

Pedigree Notes
Ziyad is the last foal out of Arme Ancienne (GB) (Sillery), who was third in the Listed Prix Melisande before producing the stakes-placed Machiavelique (Street Cry). The second dam is the G3 Prix de Psyche winner and G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches runner-up Agathe (Manila), who produced three group winners to matings with Rock of Gibraltar's sire Danehill, most notably the G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Prix Vermeille heroine and G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe runner-up Aquarelliste (Fr) and the GI Charles Whittingham Memorial H. and GI Clement L. Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship hero Artiste Royal (Ire). She is also related to Arcangues (Fr) (Sagace), Cape Verdi (Ire) (Caerleon) and Angara (GB) (Alzao).

Sunday, Deauville, France
LUCIEN BARRIERE GRAND PRIX DE DEAUVILLE-G2, €200,000, Deauville, 8-25, 3yo/up, 12 1/2fT, 2:38.20, gd.
1–ZIYAD (GB), 126, g, 4, by Rock of Gibraltar (Ire)
1st Dam: Arme Ancienne (GB) (SP-Fr), by Sillery
2nd Dam: Agathe, by Manila
3rd Dam: Albertine (Fr), by Irish River (Fr)
1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-Wertheimer & Frere (GB); T-Carlos Laffon-Parias; J-Olivier Peslier. €114,000. Lifetime Record: 16-5-6-2, €367,840. *1/2 to Machiavelique (Street Cry {Ire}), SP-US. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Soft Light (Fr), 120, c, 3, Authorized (Ire)–Light Saber (Fr), by Kendor (Fr). (€40,000 Ylg '17 AROCT). O-Claudio Marzocco; B-SARL Jedburgh Stud & Mme Isabelle Corbani (FR); T-Jean-Claude Rouget. €44,000.
3–Nagano Gold (GB), 129, h, 5, Sixties Icon (GB)–Never Enough (Ger), by Monsun (Ger). (3,500gns Wlg '14 TATFOA). O-Syndikat V3J; B-J Knight & E Cantillon (GB); T-Vaclav Luka. €21,000.
Margins: HF, 2, HF. Odds: 2.00, 6.10, 1.70.
Also Ran: Villa Rosa (Fr), Master's Spirit (Ire), Premier Lion (Fr), Tiberian (Fr), Gyllen. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.