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Sept. 6th, Longchamp. Pivotal produced a high class 1-2 in the Prix La Rochette (Gr3-1.400m) which was won by Godolphin's Buzzword (Pivotal) from Siyouni (Pivotal) and Eightfold Path (Giant's Causeway)
Ridden by Dubai jockey Ahmed Ajtebi, for his first ride at Longchamp and who appeared to briefly drop one of his reins at the 200m from the finish, Buzzword made his move in the straight after having followed the leader Eightfold Path. Siyouni had to come from behind after being drawn 7, he set off in hot pursuit of the leader but finished a length and a half behind in 2nd. The run of this Aga Khan representative seemed to suggest that he would be happier over a distance of 1,600m.
Buzzword was securing his first Group win having already been placed twice at this level. "We told his jockey to go out in front this time", Saeed Bin Suroor explained to French racing channel Equidia, "He is a classy horse and we are not surprised by this victory. He has been working well and the ground suited him."
Bred by Darley, Buzzword is a son of Bustling (Danehill), winner of the Derby du Midi (L), third in the Malleret (Gr2-2.400m) behind Pearly Shells, who was trained by Alex Pantall. Her unraced half sister by Fantastic Light, the 4 year old Banana Tropic (Fantastic Light) was sold for €8.000 (click here for her catalogue page) by Haras de Préaux (Jean-Louis Lucas) in foal to Stormy River at Arqana December sale last year. Another half sister by Reset, the 3 year old Retake, is also trained by Alex Pantall and was placed this summer at Vichy. Since her purchase for Engish breeder Mrs Watts, Bustling has had a grey filly and she's now in foal to Way of Light. Alain de Royer Dupré declared himself satisfied with the performance of Siyouni, who will go for either Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère (Gr1-1.400m) or the Critérium International (Gr1-1.600m). Pascal Bary was equally content with the run of Eightfold Path, "He was beaten by two horses who were each having their fourth runs, while this is his only his second run. He was a bit keen and he needs to relax a bit but he'll learn. He didn't give his all today and he finished well."
Wajir take the Westerner way
Elie Lellouche had every right to be impatient; since the win of Vérénitsa (Peintre Célèbre) on the 20th August in Deauville, his runners have finished 2nd seven times, sometimes beaten only by the shortest of distances. So when Wajir (Danehill Dancer) took the advantage from Manighar (Linamix), who himself had just taken the lead from Amico Mio (Best of the Bests), in the straight of the Prix de Lutèce (Gr3-3.000m), the hardest part seemed over. However the Aga Khan bred colt didn't make life easy for him: unbeaten for 5 runs and also the full brother of the winner of the Royaumont (Gr3-2.400m) Minatlya (Linamix), and also carrying 3 kilos less than the Wildenstein horse made for a long straight. Nevertheless Wajir held strong, Manighar finished a length behind him, 2 lengths in front of strong finishing Investissement (Singspiel) for the Wertheimers.
"I was sure that he would show his true colours over long distances," announced Elie Lellouche. "His family age well and they are stayers: he is from the family of Westerner (his mother War Game, a daughter of Caerleon, is a sister of the Gold Cup winner, therefore the Danehill/Walensee cross is similar). He should now go for the Chaudenay"Christophe Soumillon said "We were beaten by a better horse but he didn't give up without a fight."
Proviso ends Varenar's streak
The 3 year old Varenar (Rock of Gibraltar) had just come off a very good run in the Prix Maurice de Gheest and was naturally expected to confirm this performance in the Prix du Pin (Gr3-1.400m). She had her chance but a newcomer to this trip took the glory. The 4 year old Proviso (Dansili), already seen over 1600m in the Rothschild and once again shortened in trip, benefited from a good race in fifth position, she then took the upper hand easily enough over the younger filly and once she had the advantage she never let it go. The 3 year old filly Emergency (Dr Fong) finished well to take 3rd from Entre Deux Eaux (Ange Gabriel).
The probable presence of Goldikova in the Prix de la Forêt scares the connections of this Gr1 a little and one cannot see how the form of the Pin can surpass that of the Marois, even over a shorter distance. There is also the possibility of her finishing her career on the other side of the Atlantic is also tempting, with there being mile races there suited to a true filly of speed. "She ran very well in Deauville in the Rothschild", commented Teddy Grimthorpe, Khalid Abdullah's racing manager, "We want her to relax in her races at the moment. Emergency, for her part, also ran very well. She was not far behind Varenar and she improves for each run."
Alain de Royer Dupre declared, "We always knew that this was a good colt. He already put up a good performance in the Maurice de Gheest. There was no pace today and Christophe (who lost is whip in the finish, but which had no impact on the result - editor's note) decided to let him go on in front. We were beaten by a good filly."
Mundybash scores for Russia
Very much at ease at Longchamp where he has never finished out of the first two in 3 runs, Mundybash (Diktat) came out the winner of an eventful Prix de Boulogne (L-2.000m), where a number of runners were particularly unlucky.
On the 14th of July the Nicolas Clement trained horse beat Grey Soldier (Galileo), who soon after was the easy winner of the Grand Handicap de Deauville, Today it was the Laffon-Parias trained Chinchon (Marju) that he put in his place. "He has given us great pleasure in winning his first Listed race. He enjoys himself particularly on this racecourse and didn't run to his true value last time out at Deauville. He will normally run in the Prix Dollar (Gr2-1.950m, the 3/10), or else it will be the Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte (Gr3-2.000m, the 25/9)" declared the winning trainer. Mundybash is the property of Russian owners Eduard Mordukhovitch and Valentin Bukhtoyarov. Mundybash was consigned by Petit Tellier when he was bought by MAB Agency for €75,000 at the Arqana August Sale in 2006 at Deauville (click here for his catalogue page).
Chinchon had to be content with 2nd place, as had his trainer Carlos Laffon-Parias; "It has to be said that he was giving 2kilos to the winner and this was his first race back for a while. He hasn't disgraced himself, in fact far from it. He now has 3 possibilities; the Prix Dollar, the Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte or the Prix du Conseil de Paris (Gr2-2.400m, the18/10)."
The Prix Dollar could also be an option for three unlucky runners in this race, The Bogberry (Hawk Wing), victim of a "horrible race" according to his jockey Gérald Mossé, Starlish (Rock of Gibraltar), blocked in the whole of the straight, and the 3rd place Trois Rois (Hernando), who was interfered with when gaining momentum.
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