Prix Ganay (Group 1)

THE May Bank Holiday weekend in France was dominated by horses trained in England and by those under the care of Andre Fabre. At Saint-Cloud last Monday, he captured the Prix Ganay, the first Group 1 event of the European season, with Godolphin’s Cloth Of Stars, and the same team also landed the Prix du Muguet with Jimmy Two Times.

Although Mickael Barzalona was fined by the stewards for excessive use of the whip aboard Cloth Of Stars, his handling of the colt was spot on.

Handy behind the long time leader Guignol, Cloth Of Stars hit the front 300 metres out and went on to hold off the late challenge of Zarak by a slightly cosy short-neck. Both Silverwave and his old rival Erupt made up late ground to finish a respectable third and fourth and their efforts augur well for the rest of the season.

It would be fair to add that the Aga Khan’s Zarak had an unlucky run as the son of Dubawi and the legendary Zarkava was shut out of the race early in the straight before Christophe Soumillon lost his whip at a crucial stage when making his challenge.

Fabre was winning a sixth Ganay and is now the most successful trainer of the race with two others, including Zarak’s handler Alain de Royer-Dupre. Cloth Of Stars was landing a 2017 hat-trick and winning for the fourth occasion at Saint-Cloud having previously picked up the Prix La Force, Prix Greffulhe and the Prix Exbury.

The colt has never been successful over a mile and a half. He was eighth in the Investec Derby and third in the Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris but he might attempt the distance next time out as Fabre has entered him in the Investec Coronation Cup, which he has captured on six previous occasions, and the Hardwicke Stakes (where he would have no penalty), but also in the shorter Prince of Wales’s Stakes.

Barzalona was landing a first Ganay and he said: “He’s an easier character now and we know him better. He likes a good pace and the distance but could stay a mile and a half now he settles better.”

CUL DE SAC

Zarak was in a “cul-de-sac” two out before being extracted to make a challenge. He mowed down many of his rivals late on and looked the winner 50 metres out before hesitating.

Soumillon was waving his whipless right hand as the colt reached the quarters of Cloth Of Stars and a couple of reminders might have just done the trick.

Royer-Dupre commented: “He was in excellent shape before the race and better than before the Dubai Turf. Today he showed that a mile and a half was within his capabilities so we will think about the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.”

Third-placed Silverwave will try for a back-to-back win in the same race. Erupt has the choice of the Prince of Wales’s, the Hardwicke, or the Manhattan Handicap at Belmont Park, according to the Niarchos’ racing manager Alan Cooper who felt that the ground was a little too soft.

The Charlie Appleby-trained Hawkbill ran a sound race in fifth position and he will now be raced over a mile and a half.