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Sunday, Sept. 13th. Winner of the Grand Prix de Paris, Cavalryman (Halling) confirmed his class in the Prix Niel (Gr2-2.400m), which he won in a courageous fashion even if he is still not at the peak of his fitness, as explained Frankie Dettori.
"His trainer has been adamant all the way through that this was just a prep race. I'm up for riding him if he runs in the Arc". Claremont (Sadler's Wells) acted as leader for the winner in the path of Aizavoski (Monsun) who gave his all right up to the line but could not hold on to 2nd place from Beheshtam (Peintre Celebre) who was advancing up the middle of the track. He finished just half a length behind the winner, which pleased his trainer Alain de Royer Dupre; "With the hard ground at the moment we could not gallop him on the racecourse. He might even take part in the Arc if the ground is softer."
Sea the Stars would have to be off form for the horses of the Niel 2009 to dominate him in three weeks time. So thought the bookies anyway.
Spanish Moon wins, Vision d'Etat works
Only four horses went to the start for the Prix Foy (Gr2-2.400m) after the withdrawal of Magadan (High Chaparral) due to a foot abcess and his pacemaker Tsar de Russie (Montjeu). Spanish Moon (El Prado) added to his win in the Grand Prix de Saint Cloud with his success here, with Vision d'État (Chichicastenango), finishing in 2nd under a soft ride from Olivier Peslier.
A false race was expected with two Abdullah horses in the field, and in the end it was almost as feared, even if with the speed of Spanish Moon the pack completed 2400 metres in 2"28"70, the fastest time of the three prep races. When Crossharbour (Zamindar) came to attack with Buccellati (Soviet Star), the race accelerated rapidly at Vision d'Etat seemed to be in trouble. Ridden again here by Olivier Peslier, he came back progressively and in the last 100 metres, he positively flew. In the end Spanish Moon conserved his 3/4 of a length advantage over the French horse.
"If I had been a bit harder on him at the start of the straight, I could probably have won", announced Olivier Peslier on his return to the weigh room. "But we have a race in three weeks and thats the one that really counts. He ran well today and will be on the mark for the Arc."
Teddy Grimthorpe, manager for Khalid Abdullah, is not certain on the next race for Spanish Moon; "We have to talk to the Prince. The horse is banned from racing in England until November but the Arc is not an obligation. There is also the Canadian international, Hong Kong, Japan and maybe even Dubai. He needed this race as he has not run since he won the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and he fought well, but we will not go to the Arc just to make up numbers. Crossharbour might be happier over 2000 metres in the future."
Kasbah Bliss back at he does best
At the end of a seemingly everlasting straight, Kasbah Bliss (Kahyasi) won for the second time in a row the Prix Gladiateur (Gr2-3.100m). Francois Doumen has experienced many good times as a trainer, but the look on his face, as he returned to the weigh room, was one of admiration and emotion. "I am only starting to breathe again!" he announced. Just a few minutes earlier he had witnessed the victory of a hurricane. Last year the son of Kahyasi (sire of three winners of this Group 3) positively flew. This year he swept them all away. Blocked in until 300 metres from the post, Kasbah Bliss had to use all his talents to find a passage. Given a cool, collected and well balanced ride by Thierry Thulliez, he accelerated at amazing speed to catch Pointilliste (Giant's Causeway) who seemed to have the win in the bag after following the leader Centennial (Dalakhani). "At the stands, I knew that I had the advantage, that I was going better than the others", commented Thierry Thulliez, "It would have been a pity to fall into the trap that Pointilliste had set. But he picked up speed so well. This win was even better than that of last year when he won by 6 lengths."
Always close to the leader, Pointilliste looked for a long time to be the winner. Although Incanto Dream (Galileo) was prevented from winning his 2nd Group by an amazing horse, his first race back still deserves a mention. Unseen on the track since his 2nd place in the Prix du Cadran (Gr1) the day of the Arc, the prodigy of Carlos Lerner produced an impressive return. "The rhythm of the race worked to his benefit and his jockey was easy on him for his first race back. Softer ground will help him in the Cadran but he will be ready for the first weekend in October."
War Artist passes Longchamp sprint test
Stern Opinion (Mizzen Mast) managed to take the advantage from the favourite, English trained, Benbaun (Stravinsky) 200 metres before the line but the Pascal Bary representative could not stand up to the strong finish of War Artist (Orpen). Benbaun is considered one of the top sprinters in Europe which explains why Stern Opinion, who finished 3rd in this Prix du Petit Couvert (Gr3-1.000m) last year could barely catch his breath afterwards. Nonetheless he will take his chance in the Abbaye.
War Artist was giving 5 pounds to the other runners and this is a champion in the making for his trainer James Eustace in Newmarket. He came here off the back of a win in the Goldener Peitsche (Gr2 - 1200m) at Baden Baden, the home of his owner Rupert Plersch (French sire Linngari's owner), who went to South Africa. "I received a phone call one evening", explained James Eustace. "They asked me to take three horses from South Africa who were already on the plane, with the view to send them on to the USA. We passed a test here today in regards to him eventually running in the Abbaye and it was conclusive. He didn't run at the start of the season because he had a colic early in the year and I must mention the wonderful work of the equine hospital in Newmarket who operated on him."
His Jet Spur brother was bought back for AUS$90,000 (€53,000) last April at the Inglis Sales in Sydney.
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