By Sean Cronin
Gregory Benoist gained from the misfortune of fellow rider Theo Bachelot, who was hospitalised after a tumble at Lyon-Parilly on Thursday, and enjoyed an armchair ride aboard Jean-Louis Bouchard and Isabelle Corbani's City Light (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), as the 4-year-old bay exhibited potent acceleration and stamped his authority on France's sprinting legion with an emphatic success tackling ParisLongchamp's straight five panels in Sunday's G3 Prix de Saint-Georges.
City Light knocked at the door with runner-up efforts in last term's G3 Prix Texanita, Listed Prix Marchand d'Or and Listed Prix Luthier, and opened this semester with uplifting scores on the Chantilly Polytrack Mar. 6 and in Lingfield's Mar. 30 All-Weather Sprint Championship last time. Acting as the whipper-in before cruising into contention at halfway in this turf return, he unleashed an explosive burst to assume control with 100 metres remaining and quickly opened up to claim a belated first black-type rosette in impressive fashion.
“He's always been a good horse, but just lacked that bit of sparkle as a 3-year-old which takes you from good to very good,” explained trainer Stephane Wattel. “He changed physically over the winter, he has strengthened up a lot and is a different horse now. Winning races has also boosted his confidence and that makes a big difference. He has a fantastic turn of foot which is unusual for a five-furlong horse.”
Setting forth an agenda for the winner, Wattel revealed Royal Ascot as the main focus and the manner of victory suggests the Deauville-based conditioner very much has a live contender in his care.
“He's entered in the [June 23 G1] Diamond Jubilee S. at Royal Ascot and that is the target,” he said. “We'll take our time before deciding whether, or not, he runs in the [June 3 G2] Prix du Gros-Chene [at Chantilly] beforehand.”
Reflecting on Bachelot's recent accident, Wattel also added, “Our thoughts are with Theo, who couldn't be aboard today and is recovering from his fall at Lyon-Parilly on Thursday.”
City Light may cross swords once more with the admirably consistent runner-up Gold Vibe (Ire) (Dream Ahead), who will likely point to Chantilly, according to trainer Pascal Bary. “He has performed very well again and is more often second than not, but he never runs a bad race. The Prix du Gros-Chene is probably next on the list.”
Pedigree Notes…
City Light, kin to a 2-year-old colt by Authorized (Ire), is one of four winners from as many runners and is the leading representative for Light Saber (Fr) (Kendor {Fr}), herself a dual-winning daughter of GI Budweiser International and G2 Prix d'Astarte heroine Leariva (Irish River {Fr}). Leariva, a daughter of MGSW G1 Prix Vermeille runner-up Leandra (Fr) (Luthier {Fr}), is also the dam of MGSP Listed Prix du Ranelagh and Listed Prix Jacques de Bremond winner Athanor (Fr) (Ashkalani {Ire}) and of Largesse (Fr) (Saumarez {GB}), who in turn produced Listed Prix La Camargo victress Grandes Illusions (Fr) (Kendor {Fr}) and Listed Prix des Lilas third Highest Height (Fr) (Highest Honor {Fr}). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Sunday, Longchamp, France
PRIX DE SAINT-GEORGES-G3, €80,000, LCP, 5-13, 3yo/up, 5fT, :56.24, gd.
1–CITY LIGHT (FR), 126, c, 4, by Siyouni (Fr)
1st Dam: Light Saber (Fr), by Kendor (Fr)
2nd Dam: Leariva, by Irish River (Fr)
3rd Dam: Leandra (Fr), by Luthier (Fr)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€55,000 Ylg '15
AROCT). O-Ecurie Jean-Louis Bouchard & Mme Isabelle
Corbani; B-Jedburgh Stud & Mme Isabelle Corbani (FR);
T-Stephane Wattel; J-Gregory Benoist. €40,000. Lifetime
Record: 13-4-5-0, €252,397. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Gold Vibe (Ire), 128, g, 5, Dream Ahead–Whisper Dance, by
Diktat (GB). (€58,000 Wlg '13 GOFNOV; 300,000gns Ylg '14
TAOCT). O-Sutong Pan; B-Stonecross Stud (IRE); T-Pascal Bary.
€16,000.
3–Son Cesio (Fr), 134, h, 7, Zafeen (Fr)–Slitana (Fr), by Dansili
(GB). O/B-Yves Borotra (FR); T-Henri-Alex Pantall. €12,000.
Margins: 1HF, NK, HF. Odds: 2.80, 6.90, 9.00.
Also Ran: Muthmir (Ire), Signs of Blessing (Ire), Moon Trouble (Ire), Bakoel Koffie (Ire), Mirza (GB). Scratched: Just Glamorous (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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