By Tom Frary
No longer a force to be reckoned with in the major events across Europe, Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's stalwart Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) provided the deflated William Haggas stable with a much-needed boost on Sunday as he signed off with a hard-fought success in the G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris.
Haggas issued a statement after the race to the PA news agency which read, “I'm absolutely thrilled to bits and we would like to call it a day with him now. He's been a fantastic servant and it is wonderful he has finished on a high. So, we'll retire him now. He's been magnificent and has taken us across the world. He did us proud in Australia, he's won a Champion Stakes at Ascot, he's been a marvellous horse.”
Only sixth in the G2 Prix Dollar at this ParisLongchamp venue at the start of the month, the four-times group 1 winner was nevertheless shown due respect as the 17-10 favourite and quickly settled in the wake of Monty (Fr) (Motivator {GB}) under Tom Marquand. Left behind by that rival in the straight, the cause looked lost but the veteran responded to his rider's urgings to make up the deficit inside the last 50 metres and prevail by 1 1/4 lengths.
“Obviously, on heavy ground he is very effective, and we were keen to finish on a winning note. Now he has done we'll let him enjoy a wonderful retirement. He means a lot to the yard, he's been a friend to all of us. Kind, sweet-natured horse, just a lovely horse. This is just a great result today.”
A three-time winner at three, Addeybb registered his first group score at four when taking the Sandown's G2 bet365 Mile. The following season, he took the Wolferton S. at Royal Ascot and came back later that summer to annex the G3 Rose of Lancaster S. before rounding out the year with a runner-up finish behind Magical (Ire) in the G1 Qipco Champion S. Poised for the best season of his career, he returned at six to vanquish Australian star Verry Elleegant (NZ) in both Rosehill's G1 Ranvet S. and G1 Queen Elizabeth S. at Randwick. Runner-up in the G1 Prince of Wales's S. while returning to the Royal meeting, he bounced back to secure the Listed Doonside Cup before going one better than the previous season and landing the 2020 renewal of the Champion S. Returning Down Under for last year's Ranvet and Queen Elizabeth, he had to play the bridesmaid to Verry Elleegant in the former, but turned the tables narrowly in the latter. Given over two months off, the gelding was bested by St Mark's Basilica (Fr) in the G1 Coral-Eclipse S., and would only make one more start that season, finishing sixth in the Champion S. Earlier this term, Addeybb finished third in a pair of races at Sandown–the May 26 G3 Brigadier Girard followed by the Listed Gala S. July 1.
Addeybb was back in the blinkers that had been employed once only during his career, when dealing with Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) in last year's Queen Elizabeth S. For Marquand, his last ride on the 8-year-old was an emotive one.
“It's special–he took my career to a new level and we have been trying to get that spark back in him,” he said. “We were hoping he'd come and win and he's a real pleasure to have anything to do with. We've changed up his headgear a few times and it worked–the ground helped as well as the blinkers–he's been fantastic.”
Pedigree Notes
Addeybb's dam Bush Cat (Kingmambo), whose other stakes performer was the GIII Generous S. third Meer Kat (Ire) (Red Ransom), is a daughter of the German listed scorer and G3 Royal Whip S.-placed Arbusha (Danzig). She is a full-sister to the G2 Goldene Peitsche winner Nicholas and to Danlu, whose descendants include the G1 Irish St Leger and G1 Gran Premio di Milano hero Strategic Choice (Alleged). This is the dam line of the US Fillies' Triple Crown heroine Shuvee (Nashua).
Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
PRIX DU CONSEIL DE PARIS-G2, €130,000, ParisLongchamp, 10-16, 3yo/up, 11fT, 2:24.49, vsf.
1–ADDEYBB (IRE), 128, g, 8, by Pivotal (GB)
1st Dam: Bush Cat, by Kingmambo
2nd Dam: Arbusha, by Danzig
3rd Dam: Lulu Mon Amour, by Tom Rolfe
(200,000gns Ylg '15 TATOCT). O-Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-William Haggas; J-Tom Marquand. €74,100. Lifetime Record: MG1SW-Aus & G1SW-Eng, 28-13-5-4, €4,154,538. *1/2 to Meer Kat (Ire) (Red Ransom), GSP-US. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Monty (Fr), 128, g, 7, Motivator (GB)–Antebellum (Fr), by Anabaa. O-AB Racing Ltd, Ecurie Ades Hazan, Benjamin Houta & Jeremy Houta; B-Duchess of Bedford (FR); T-Andreas Schutz. €28,600.
3–Kertez (GB), 128, g, 4, Intello (Ger)–Distortion (GB), by Distorted Humor. O/B-Wertheimer & Frere (GB); T-Andre Fabre. €13,650.
Margins: 1 1/4, SNK, 5HF. Odds: 1.70, 1.90, 5.30.
Also Ran: Raymond Tusk (Ire), Mutabahi (Fr). Video, sponsored by TVG.
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