By Tom Frary
Less than a length covered the first five home in Monday's G1 Prix d'Ispahan at ParisLongchamp, with Shadwell's Anmaat (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}) edging it from Light Infantry (Fr) (Fast Company {Ire}) in a finish that was touch-and-go. Successful in the G2 Prix Dollar on testing ground here on Arc weekend, the Owen Burrows-trained 5-year-old who was runner-up to Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in the G3 Gordon Richards S. at Newmarket earlier this month stayed on the best to oust four rivals in line across the track. They were, in order, the outsider Facteur Cheval (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}), who was nosed out of the runner's-up spot, Buckaroo (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) and Erevann (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) beaten by two short necks with the latter suffering significant trouble in running in the closing stages.
Unbeaten last term as he became the finished article through the handicap grades, Anmaat served notice that he was becoming a force to be reckoned with when capturing the G3 Rose of Lancaster S. in dominant fashion at Haydock in August. Battling to success in the Dollar, the gelding was handing Adayar five pounds in the Gordon Richards on his return and arrived here with nothing to prove.
Restrained early by Jim Crowley with only Erevann behind, the 13-10 favourite had a clear run down the outer as that rival was short of room on the rail approaching the final furlong. With the long-time leader Light Infantry battling back into contention having looked likely to finish out of the frame earlier in the straight and Facteur Cheval posing his threat, Anmaat had to dig in but ultimately that is what marks him out.
For Crowley, the outcome was a relief after a race that turned out messy. “It didn't go to plan as I'd have wanted it to–I'd have liked to have been handy early, but he was over-racing and very fresh today so I had to take back and then the tempo was not that strong,” he explained. “I had to make my move to have him close enough in the straight, the ground was lively enough for him and the trip was a furlong shorter than what he has encountered so far, so it was a good performance. We've always hoped he'd progress into a group 1 horse, so it's nice.”
Owen Burrows, who had last week engineered the comeback of Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), was delighted to have another of the stable's luminaries join the top table. “It's been a huge team effort with these two horses,” he said. “Anmaat is so tough. He might get further, but we don't have to be worried about that just yet. He's in [Royal] Ascot, so we'll see how he is and the Eclipse is an option too. We'll have a chat with the team and go from there.”
Light Infantry was finishing runner-up in a French group 1 for the third time and trainer David Simcock was in that unenviable position of being pleased and disappointed at the same time. “All credit to him–he was probably tapped for a little bit of acceleration again, but he sustains very well,” he said. “There is a certain amount of frustration, but only from my personal point of view as at the same time he is very consistent and I can't complain too much. I think something like the Cox Plate is tailor-made for him and that's where his future lies, but he'll go to Ascot now and is in both races [the Queen Anne and Prince of Wales's S.].”
Pedigree Notes
Anmaat, who becomes his sire's first group 1 winner, is a half-brother to the GIII Kent S. scorer and GII San Luis Rey S. runner-up Syntax (Ire) (Haatef). The dam African Moonlight (UAE) (Halling), who also produced the listed-placed Sir Gin (Ire) (Moss Vale {Ire}), is a full-sister to the dual G3 Curragh Cup winner Mkuzi (GB) and kin to three other black-type performers. Also connected to the dual G3 Prix du Palais-Royal winner Garnica (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}), her 2-year-old filly by Kodiac (GB) named Lunar Shine (Ire) was a 300,000gns purchase by Manor House Farm at the Book 1 Sale.
Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
PRIX D'ISPAHAN-G1, €250,000, ParisLongchamp, 5-29, 4yo/up, 9f 55yT, 1:52.12, gd.
1–ANMAAT (IRE), 128, g, 5, by Awtaad (Ire)
1st Dam: African Moonlight (UAE), by Halling
2nd Dam: African Peace, by Roberto
3rd Dam: Galla Placidia (Fr), by Crystal Palace (Fr)
1ST G1 WIN. (140,000gns Wlg '18 TATFOA). O-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd; B-Ringfort Stud (IRE); T-Owen Burrows; J-Jim Crowley. €142,850. Lifetime Record: GSW-Eng, 12-7-4-1, €510,202. *1/2 to Syntax (Ire) (Haatef), GSW-US, $390,211. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Light Infantry (Fr), 128, c, 4, Fast Company (Ire)–Lights On Me (GB), by Kyllachy (GB). (€25,000 Ylg '20 ARQDOY; £82,000 2yo '21 GOFTY). O-Never Say Die & Light Infantry Partnership; B-Barbara Moser (FR); T-David Simcock. €57,150.
3–Facteur Cheval (Ire), 128, g, 4, Ribchester (Ire)–Jawlaat (Ire), by Shamardal.
1ST G1 BLACK-TYPE. (145,000gns Wlg '19 TATFOA; €120,000 Ylg '20 ARQSEP). O-Team Valor International & Gary Barber; B-McCracken Farms (IRE); T-Jerome Reynier. €28,575.
Margins: SNK, NO, SNK. Odds: 1.30, 9.00, 6.50.
Also Ran: Buckaroo (GB), Erevann (Fr), Junko (GB). Scratched: Onesto (Ire). Video, sponsored by TVG.
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