By Tom Frary
Bringing yet more success to the Francis-Henri Graffard stable in 2025, White Birch Farm's Gezora emulated the 2006 Prix Saint-Alary success of her dam Germance at ParisLongchamp on Sunday. Sent off at 6-1 for the former Group 1 contest, now a level below carrying the sponsors' “Auguste Rodin Coolmore” title, last year's G3 Prix des Reservoirs winner was anchored behind the leading pair early by Mickael Barzalona.
Showing the sharpest acceleration of the quartet in the straight, the daughter of Almanzor who had been third behind Mandanaba and Flaming Stone in the course-and-distance G3 Prix Vanteaux last month took over from the latter 300 metres from the finish before seeing off her stablemate, Dubawi's 1-2 favourite Audubon Park, by 1 1/4 lengths.
Graffard, who was later to go through the gamut of emotions after the Pouliches, is thinking of the G1 Prix de Diane for the first two. “Gezora is a nice filly, very straightforward, she had a very good first run in the Vanteaux here and she came on a lot for the race,” he said. “She blossomed physically and mentally she was so happy and well in herself that I said to the owner we should give it a go today, we had nothing to lose and she lengthened really nicely in the straight.”
“Audubon Park is a big, scopey filly and I didn't want to run her four times before the Prix de Diane, so I gave her a long break and physically I think she needed it today,” he added. “She was a little bit in season also–when I put the saddle on her she was showing bad signs to me. She needed the run, she asked for a big blow at the wrong moment in the straight and she will come on a lot for that. She's a lovely filly. Gezora will definitely go to the Prix de Diane after that and regarding Audubon Park, let's see how she comes out and I will speak to the owner, but this is a trial and she will probably line up too.”
Surprise in the Prix Saint-Alary! 🇫🇷
Hot favourite Audubon Park is beaten by her stablemate Gezora who swoops late to land the Group Two prize for @GraffardRacing! pic.twitter.com/a0FJpuO507
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 11, 2025
Pedigree Notes
Gezora is the last foal out of Germance, who also captured the G3 Prix de la Nonette and G3 Prix Penelope and was second in her Diane. Responsible for only one black-type performer so far in Teofilo's triple listed-placed Garance, she is a half to the dual listed scorer Gaily Game by Montjeu related to Sea The Stars' G1 Prix d'Ispahan-winning sire Mekhtaal and Le Havre's G1 Criterium International runner-up Normandy Bridge. This is also the family of the G1 Derby Italiano hero and Arc runner-up White Muzzle and the G1 Dubai World Cup hero Almutawakel.
Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
AUGUSTE RODIN COOLMORE PRIX SAINT-ALARY-G2, €130,000, ParisLongchamp, 5-11, 3yo, f, 10fT, 2:04.10, gs.
1–GEZORA (FR), 126, f, 3, by Almanzor (Fr)
1st Dam: Germance (G1SW-Fr, $558,680), by Silver Hawk
2nd Dam: Gaily Tiara, by Caerleon
3rd Dam: Majestic Role (Fr), by Theatrical (Ire)
O-White Birch Farm; B-Haras d'Etreham; T-Francis-Henri Graffard; J-Mickael Barzalona. €74,100. Lifetime Record: 6-3-1-1, €160,100. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Audubon Park (Fr), 126, f, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Right Hand (GB), by Lope De Vega (Ire).
1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€390,000 Ylg '23 ARQAUG). O-Craig Bernick; B-Ecurie des Monceaux, Langlais Bloodstock, Noir Et Or Elevage SA & C Hirst; T-Francis-Henri Graffard. €28,600.
3–Flaming Stone (GB), 126, f, 3, Kingman (GB)–Burning Rules (Ire), by Aussie Rules. (425,000gns Wlg '22 TATFOA). O-Juddmonte; B-Mrs Anita Wigan & Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-Henri-Francois Devin. €13,650.
Margins: 1 1/4, 1 1/4, HD. Odds: 6.00, 0.50, 2.70.
Also Ran: Jones (Fr).
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