Mickael Barzalona

Recent winners of Chantilly's G3 Prix Sigy include subsequent Group 1 scorers Signs Of Blessing (Ire), Quiet Reflection (GB) and Sands Of Mali (Fr) and this year's renewal went the way of last term's Listed Prix Saraca victor and G3 Prix de Cabourg second Sajir (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}--Simple Magic {Ire}, by Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who displayed elite-level potential defeating a solid cast of nine sophomore rivals in the 5 1/2-furlong dash. Last term's G1 Prix Morny sixth, who encountered a testing surface and dank conditions here, broke swiftly and...

It is 16 years since The Aga Khan enjoyed the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches-G1 Prix de Diane double with Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar) and there was a genuine sense at ParisLongchamp on Sunday that he has a live prospect for a repeat. While the afternoon's G3 Prix de la Grotte winner Candala (Fr) (Frankel {GB}--Candarliya {Fr}, by Dalakhani {Ire}) can not yet be placed in the same bracket as that former luminary, the manner of her re-entry suggests that she is going to be one of the season's leading lights...

It was only a matter of time before Andre Fabre unveiled a new bright prospect among his 2024 crop of 3-year-old Classic aspirants and it was during Tuesday's meeting at Saint-Cloud that the Chantilly maestro delivered one of the first. Producing a power-packed performance in testing conditions, Nurlan Bizakov's homebred colt Narkez (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}--Nazym {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) earned TDN Rising Star status in the card's often-informative mile conditions event, the Prix Comrade, to prompt Prix du Jockey Club talk. Sent off the 3-1 second favourite behind stablemate Supercooled...

Jaber Abdullah's Marhaba Ya Sanafi (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}--Danega {GB}, by Galileo {Ire}) was scoreless in four starts since annexing May's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and regained the winning thread in this seasonal return. Last term's G1 Prix du Jockey Club placegetter settled third along the fence through halfway, but slipped one spot rounding the home turn. Coming under pressure approaching the quarter-mile marker, he went second entering the final furlong and was ridden out to deny long-time leader Topgear (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) by 1 1/4 lengths nearing the...

Rabbah Bloodstock's FROST AT DAWN (Frosted-Hawana, by War Front) has had the misfortune of squaring off with two of the best fillies in this jurisdiction multiple times--the undefeated pair of G3 UAE Oaks heroine Manama Gold (Star Guitar) on dirt, and Saturday's listed winner Cinderella's Dream (GB) (Shamardal). However, she finally got her chance in the spotlight trying the 1000-metre AED1,200,000 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint Sponsored By Emirates Skywards, and the William Knight trainee walked away with a Group 3 win over Godolphin's Star Of Mystery (GB) (Kodiac {GB})...

Kildangan Stud's first-season sire sensation Blue Point (Ire) hit a remarkable new high on Tuesday when his daughter Word's Out (Ire) became his 50th individual winner at Deauville. Sixth on debut at Chantilly last month, the Andre Fabre-trained Godolphin homebred raced towards the rear early. Delivered with perfect timing by Mickael Barzalona to overhaul Tazara (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) in the final strides, the 7-1 shot had a neck to spare at the line for the landmark win. The dam Voice Of Truth (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who was sold by Godolphin...

Patrice Cottier trainee Classic Flower (GB) (Calyx {GB}--Crown Of Flowers {GB}, by Garswood {GB}) had collected prizemoney for the Gousserie Racing and Jean-Etienne Dubois partnership in all three prior black-type outings and held firm against a strong British raiding party to double her freshman sire's pattern-race tally in Saturday's G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte at Chantilly. The 28-5 chance, who had hit the board in the G2 Prix Robert Papin and G3 Prix Six Perfections earlier in the campaign, was well away to stalk the leading duo in a handy third...

Patrice Cottier trainee Horizon Dore (Fr) (Dabirsim {Fr}--Sweet Alabama {Fr}, by Enrique {GB}), who prevailed in July's G2 Prix Eugene Adam, doubled his pattern-race tally when snagging this month's G3 Prix du Prince d'Orange at ParisLongchamp and secured a fourth straight success when returning to the Bois de Boulogne venue for a taking victory Saturday's G2 Qatar Prix Dollar. Unhurried and settled back in the field to race several lengths off the clear leader Jack Darcy (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) in seventh until turning for home, the 7-10 favourite made eyecatching...

   Up to a mile for the first time in Friday's G3 Prix Thomas Bryon Jockey Club de Turquie at Saint-Cloud, Baron Edouard De Rothschild's TDN Rising Star Alcantor (Fr) (New Bay {GB}) made light work of the test to put himself to the forefront of the year's home-trained juveniles. Successful here and at Chantilly either side of a third to Havana Cigar (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) over a six-furlong trip that was too sharp at Chantilly in July, the Andre Fabre trainee was always in his comfort zone tagging...

Godolphin's €130,000 Arqana October acquisition Casapueblo (Ire) (Le Havre {Ire}--Uruguay {Ire}, by Authorized {Ire}) justified 7-5 favouritism by overcoming traffic issues and was elevated to the 'TDN Rising Star' ranks with a taking display in Wednesday's Prix de la Maniguette at Chantilly. The eventual winner lobbed along in third through steady early stages, but slipped to fourth when brake-checked and impeded approaching halfway in this debut. Full of run along the rail when encountering heavy traffic passing the quarter-mile marker, he found an open lane inside the final 300 metres...

Francis Graffard trainee Melo Melo (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}--You Look So Good {GB}, by Excellent Art {GB}) had raced exclusively in stakes company in each of her six latest starts, bagging a career best in ParisLongchamp's Listed Prix Gold River in May when last seen, and continued on a rapid upward trajectory with a game success in Saturday's G2 Prix de Pomone at Deauville. The 47-10 chance employed patient tactics and tracked the leaders in a midfield sixth through halfway in this staging post for the G1 Prix de Royallieu on...

'TDN Rising Star' Les Pavots (Ire) (No Nay Never) encountered G1 Prix Morny contender Ramatuelle (Justify) when hitting the board in June's G3 Prix du Bois at Chantilly and backed up a win in last month's Listed Prix des Jouvenceaux et des Jouvencelles at Vichy with an impressive performance and a career high in Saturday's G2 Prix du Calvados at Deauville. The 22-5 chance was steadied to race at the tail of the field and found a comfortable rhythm tracking all seven rivals through the early fractions. Making smooth headway...