Deauville Sunday
Haras d’Etreham Prix Jean Prat (Group 1)
THINGS hadn’t been going too well in France of late for Aidan O’Brien. As Tenebrism lined up for last Sunday’s Group 1 Haras d’Etreham Prix Jean Prat, his 2022 record there was a miserable six straight unplaced efforts, with not a single cent of prize money collected.
The Caravaggio filly brought that sequence to an end, also snapping a French win drought for the yard which stretched back for over 11 months and 24 runners.
Famine
It’s funny how, even for the very best, it can be a case of feast or famine. The previous Gallic triumph for Ballydoyle, Mother’s Earth win in the Prix Rothschild early last August, had been O’Brien’s fifth successful French foray in just 13 attempts since the beginning of that season, with every one coming at Group 1 level!
The first Jean Prat victory of his career came in convincing style. Tenebrism lived up to both her pedigree - her dam, Immortal Verse, enjoyed her finest hour at this very venue when beating the mighty Goldikova in the 2011 Prix Jacques Le Marois – and her dam’s price tag – a cool 4.7 million guineas while in foal at Tattersalls in 2013 – with a length and a quarter success.
Slow start
After a slow start, with nothing special from her first three foals, Immortal Verse’s second vocation has suddenly blossomed over recent months, with Tenebrism landing last year’s Cheveley Park Stakes and her younger half-sister, Statuette, winning a Group 2 on just her second start to prompt her elevation to favouritism for next year’s 1000 Guineas.
The story of this seven-furlong contest was that of a reasonably steady pace (despite the fast ground the time was 1.3 seconds slower than the race record) leading to six horses disputing the lead with 150 yards to run.
It was at this point that Tenebrism, who had been forced to wait to find clear passage, stamped her authority on the race, exhibiting a turn of foot her rivals simply couldn’t match.
There was a five-way photo finish for the runner-up spot, with David Simcock’s Light Infantry flashing home up the inside rail to grab that position, a short neck in front of a second British raider, Richard Hannon’s Lusail.
Accakaba fared best of the home team to edge out another raider, the favourite, Modern Games, for fourth.
Sixth-placed Rozgar, who swept into contention on the outside only to look like a non-stayer, caught the eye as a potential top-notcher over sprint distances.
One of the disappointments of the race was Sheila Lavery’s New Energy. Last of the 11 runners approaching the furlong marker, he did stay on well to finish seventh, but with a two-and-a-half-length break to the principals in front of him.
Target
O’Brien suggested afterwards that a likely future target for the winner was the Group 1 Matron Stakes at Leopardstown on September 10th, with a return trip to Deauville for the Prix Rothschild (on August 2nd) a possibility beforehand.
Winning jockey Ryan Moore, said: “Tenebrism never found her rhythm in the 1000 Guineas and then ran better at Royal Ascot despite still showing signs of immaturity, especially around the bend.
“The level track helped today and allowed her to show her true quality.”
Delighted
Simcock was delighted with Light Infantry’s effort, on just his fourth career start and his first since April, suggesting that he would improve again for the step back up to a mile and picking out the Jacques Le Marois (on August 14th) as a likely next outing.
Richard Hannon reported that Lusail would head to Goodwood for either the Lennox Stakes or the Sussex Stakes.
Moore treble
Moore went on to complete an overseas-trained treble from his only three mounts on the card in lifting the Group 3 Prix Ris-Orangis for Charlie Hills aboard Garrus and the Listed Prix Kistena on Clive Cox’s Harry Three, both over six furlongs.
Garrus was confirming a liking for this course and distance (he won another Group 3 last August on his only previous visit) but his one-and three-quarter-length margin of victory was doubled by Harry Three, who looks a high-class sprinter in the making.
Cox commented: “Harry Three’s a beautiful colt, very powerful, who is still progressing both physically and mentally. I hope that he can continue to climb the ladder.”
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