Shamardal's Earthlight Back With A Bang In France

Recovered from an injury which forced the abandonment of any and all plans for this term's rescheduled one-mile Classics, the belated reintroduction of Godolphin's homebred Earthlight (Ire) (Shamardal) in Sunday's Listed Qatar Prix Kistena at Deauville was as straightforward as starting odds of 2-5 might suggest and the Andre Fabre trainee maintained his perfect record, going six-for-six, with an impressive 2 1/2-length dismissal of Wanaway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) in the six-furlong dash. Settled under cover in sixth after an alert departure from the outside stall, last term's G1 Prix Morny and G1 Middle Park S. hero eased into the clear at halfway and was hard on the steel until shaken up for control passing the eighth pole, powering clear with familiar gusto to score by daylight.

“It is a relief to see him win like he did,” said Godolphin's Lisa Jane Graffard. “He was relaxed and very professional and you can see that the quality is still there. It has been almost a year off, but the lockdown and the setback might have been a blessing in disguise as it gave him more time to grow and mature. We will see how he comes out of the race and Sheikh Mohamed and Andre Fabre will decide on his near future.”

Earthlight is the first foal bred from G1 Fillies' Mile runner-up Winters Moon (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), whose own dam Summertime Legacy (GB) (Darshaan {GB}) took the G3 Prix des Reservoirs and ran third in the G1 Prix Saint-Alary. Summertime Legacy has four stakes performers to her credit, headed by G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud victor Mandaean (GB) (Manduro {Ger}) and G1 Prix Saint-Alary heroine Wavering (Ire) (Refuse To Bend {Ire}). Summertime Legacy is herself the leading performer for Zawaahy (El Gran Senor), who in turn is kin to G1 Epsom Derby hero Golden Fleece (Nijinsky) and the stakes-producing Listed Modesty H. victrix Office Wife (Secretariat). From a family featuring GI Belmont S.-winning sire Jaipur (Nasrullah) and GSW sire Be My Guest (Northern Dancer), Winters Moon has a 2-year-old filly by Dubawi (Ire) and a yearling full-sister to Earthlight to come.

Sunday, Deauville, France
QATAR PRIX KISTENA-Listed, €38,000, Deauville, 7-12, 3yo, 6fT, 1:10.29, gd.
1–EARTHLIGHT (IRE), 123, c, 3, by Shamardal
1st Dam: Winters Moon (Ire) (G1SP-Eng), by New Approach (Ire)
2nd Dam: Summertime Legacy (GB), by Darshaan (GB)
3rd Dam: Zawaahy, by El Gran Senor
O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Andre Fabre; J-Mickael Barzalona. €19,000. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng & Fr, 6-6-0-0, €463,835.
2–Wanaway (Fr), 125, f, 3, Galiway (GB)–Matwan (Fr), by Indian Rocket (GB). O/B-Guy Pariente Holding (FR); T-Pascal Bary. €7,600.
3–Crew Dragon (Fr), 123, c, 3, Poet's Voice (GB)–Vintage Red (Fr), by Turtle Bowl (Ire). (€75,000 RNA Ylg '18 ARAUG). O/B-Berend van Dalfsen (FR); T-Mauricio Delcher Sanchez. €5,700.
Margins: 2HF, 1HF, 1. Odds: 0.40, 16.00, 10.00.
Also Ran: Queen Kahlua (GB), Hurricane Ivor (Ire), Gadea (Ire), Jolie (Fr), Additional (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.