Only fourth behind Integral in this race last year, Esoterique returned with a vengeance to reverse that form under a perfectly judged ride from a confident Pierre-Charles Boudot. Always full of talent but mercurial in her younger days, the homebred managed to win the G3 Prix Vanteaux and finish a neck second to Flotilla (Fr) (Mizzen Mast) in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches at Longchamp in the spring of 2013 before finishing seventh in the G1 Prix de Diane at Chantilly and spending some time on the shelf. Back to her best when denying Integral in the G3 Dahlia S. over nine furlongs at Newmarket last May, the bay was disappointing when only ninth behind that rival in the G2 Duke of Cambridge S. at Royal Ascot the next month before rebounding to win Deauville's G1 Prix Rothschild with Integral again behind in August. Fourth in both the G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp and this contest to close out her 4-year-old campaign, she returned to be third under a penalty in Saint-Cloud's G2 Prix du Muguet May 1 before almost causing an upset at 16-1 when second to Solow (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}) in Royal Ascot's G1 Queen Anne S. June 16. Showing how much she had developed under Andre Fabre's careful training approach, Esoterique went on to be second to Muhaarar (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) in the 6 1/2-furlong G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest Aug. 9 before taking the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois by 1 1/2 lengths from her barnmate Territories (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) a week later during Deauville's festival. Kept away from deep ground and the G1 Prix du Moulin subsequently, she was therefore a fresh mare coming back to Suffolk but settled ideally for Boudot against the rail early keeping within two lengths of the front-running Integral. It was clear approaching the quarter pole that she only needed a gap to make her considerable presence felt and that duly came between the Cheveley Park homebred and Irish Rookie with a furlong remaining. Coaxed through and to the front with 150 yards left, she only needed to be pushed out to secure a cozy score from the game defending champion. “She showed something new there which I wasn't expecting, a lot of courage and guts as she had to fight,” Fabre said. “Usually she comes there with a burst of acceleration, but today she had to resist the runner-up. She's got much stronger this year and is easy to train. We know her by heart now. She could go for the Ascot race [Oct. 17 G1 Queen Elizabeth II S.] if she recovers well. She might be supplemented for the Breeders' Cup. She can go to Japan or to Hong Kong and she might stay in training next year as well.”
Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN SUN CHARIOT S.-G1, £283,750, NEW, 10-3, 3yo/up, f, 8fT, 1:35.87, g/f.
1–ESOTERIQUE (IRE), 129, m, 5, by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
1st Dam: Dievotchka (GB), by Dancing Brave
2nd Dam: High and Dry (GB), by High Line (GB)
3rd Dam: Photo Flash, by Match II
O-Baron Edouard de Rothschild; B-Ecurie de Meautry (IRE); T-Andre Fabre; J-Pierre-Charles Boudot. £160,915. Lifetime Record: MG1SW-Fr, 16-6-3-1, $1,480,522. *1/2 to Russian Hope (Ire) (Rock Hopper {GB}), Hwt. 3yo-Fr at 14+f, MGSW-Fr & SP-Ger, $346,613; Russian Cross (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), GSW-Fr, $302,468; Archange d'Or (Ire) (Danehill), GSW-Fr, $218,497; Russian Hill (GB) (Indian Ridge {Ire}), SW & MGSP-Fr, $217,127; and Russian Desert (Ire) (Desert Prince {Ire}), SW & MGSP-Fr, $130,893. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Integral (GB), 129, m, 5, Dalakhani (Ire)–Echelon (GB), by Danehill. O/B-Cheveley Park Stud Ltd (GB); T-Sir Michael Stoute. £61,006.
3–Irish Rookie (Ire), 126, f, 3, Azamour (Ire)–Bold Assumption (GB), by Observatory. (€16,000 Ylg '13 GOFORB). O-Rick Barnes; B-Kevin & Meta Cullen (IRE); T-Martyn Meade. £30,532.
Margins: HF, 1HF, NK. Odds: 1.35, 4.00, 20.00.
Also Ran: Fadhayyil (Ire), Realtra (Ire), Bawina (Ire), Maimara (Fr), Raydara (Ire), Malabar (GB). Click for the Racing Post result, the brisnet.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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