Dubawi's The Revenant Registers Listed Prix Altipan Hat-Trick

Al Asayl France's homebred 2020 G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. hero The Revenant (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}–Hazel Lavery {Ire}, by Excellent Art {GB}), returning off an Oct. 15 seventh when making his fourth start in the Ascot benchmark last time, registered a hat-trick in Saint-Cloud's Listed Prix Altipan with a comfortable win in Thursday's latest edition of the one-mile test. It was the 8-year-old gelding's sixth success in eight outings over the track's course and distance. Settling into a smooth rhythm racing at the tail of the eight-runner field into the straight, the 3-5 favourite made relentless progress saving ground along the far-side rail to launch his challenge with 300 metres remaining and was pushed out to defeat Anthorus (Fr) (Territories {Ire}) by 1 1/4 lengths in snug fashion.

“He is such a special horse for us and by winning this race for the third time shows us that he can still compete at a high level at the age of eight,” commented Francis Graffard. “That's what I wanted to find out with this first start, to see if he still possessed his fighting spirit, because he had a hard race last time out at Ascot. The race unfolded perfectly for him. He settled into a great rhythm, it was a ground-saving trip on the inside and he idled once in front because he knows the job. I didn't work him too hard at home and he will come on for the run. The program is straightforward and it should be the [G3 Prix] Edmond Blanc and then the [G2 Prix du] Muguet. However, he will not run if the going is not soft enough. He needs that ground, more than ever, and didn't really get it last year.”

The Revenant, a half-brother to the hitherto untried 3-year-old filly Andraste (GB) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), is the second of five foals and lone winner produced by G3 St Simon S. victrix Hazel Lavery (Ire) (Excellent Art {GB}), herself a half-sister to MGSP Czech champion Leo Gali (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). The April-foaled chestnut's third dam Rapid Repeat (Ire) (Exactly Sharp) is kin to four black-type performers headed by G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial-winning sire Artema (Ire) (Common Grounds {GB}).

Thursday, Saint-Cloud, France
PRIX ALTIPAN-Listed, €52,000, Saint-Cloud, 3-9, 4yo/up, 8fT, 1:45.53, vsf.
1–THE REVENANT (GB), 126, g, 8, Dubawi (Ire)–Hazel Lavery (Ire) (GSW-Eng, $246,630), by Excellent Art (GB).
O-Al Asayl France; B-Al Asayl Bloodstock Ltd (GB); T-Francis-Henri Graffard; J-Tony Piccone. €26,000. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng, MGSW & G1SP-Fr, GSW-Ger, 23-13-4-3, €1,371,520.
2–Anthorus (Fr), 126, c, 4, Territories (Ire)–Anna Platini (GB), by Dubawi (Ire). O/T-Henri-Alex Pantall; B-Henri-Alex Pantall & Mme Yvette Pantall (FR). €10,400. €10,400.
3–Titanium (Fr), 126, g, 4, Zarak (Fr)–Kyurem (Ire), by Verglas (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE. (€50,000 Ylg '20 ARQSEP). O-Ecurie 4L, Comte Guillaume de Saint-Seine, Alessandro Botti, Giuseppe Botti, Ecurie Vitale, Scuderia Visconti di Modrone & Giovanni Neri; B-Haras de la Perelle (FR); T-Alessandro & Giuseppe Botti. €7,800.
Margins: 1 1/4, 1 1/4, HF. Odds: 0.60, 8.30, 10.00.
Also Ran: Bennetot (Ire), Monarchic (Ire), Best Lightning (Fr), Siam Paragon (Fr), Jacinda (GB). Scratched: Loliwood (Fr). Video, sponsored by TVG.

The Revenant returns! The former @Ascot QEII winner sweeps through on the inside to make a winning return at Saint-Cloud for @piccone_tony and @GraffardRacing… pic.twitter.com/sKKcNjkEsS

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) March 9, 2023