By Sean Cronin
His Highness The Aga Khan's 4-year-old filly Ebaiyra (Distorted Humor) made light of a seven-month absence to collar Raabihah (Sea the Stars {Ire}) by a neck in the May 2 G3 Prix Allez France Longines at ParisLongchamp on seasonal return and doubled up on that rival in Wednesday's G2 Prix Corrida at Saint-Cloud. Her sophomore campaign highlight reel also includes victories in the G2 Prix de Pomone and G3 Prix de Royaumont, as well as a sixth-place effort in last year's G1 Prix de Diane, and she claimed a fourth pattern-race triumph in the 10 1/2-furlong midweek feature. The 8-5 second favourite was alert from the gates and stalked even-money favourite Raabihah's tempo in third until turning for home. Fanning wide with the field into the straight, she was rowed along passing the quarter-mile marker and was pushed out once hitting the front approaching the final furlong to deny the rallying Shadwell homebred by an ultimately comfortable 1 1/2 lengths. German raider No Limit Credit (Ger) (Night of Thunder {Ire}), who ran second in last term's G2 German 1000 Guineas, kept on well to finish another half length back in third.
“I think this filly is a different proposition from last year and is one step above what she used to be,” said trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre. “That's the impression she gave us when winning the [G3 Prix] Allez France last time. At that stage we were considering a Grade I race in America, but we amended our plans and have decided to keep her here. She has again shown us that she has the ability to win a Group 1 here in Europe. We will probably go for the [G1] Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and, later in the season, there are plenty of options such as the [G1] Yorkshire Oaks and [G1] Prix Vermeille. She goes on any ground so we will try to seize the opportunities as they come.”
Ebaiyra is one of two stakes winners and the leading performer out of G2 Prix de Royallieu victrix Ebiyza (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}). The homebred chestnut is a half-sister to MGSP dual stakes winner Edisa (Kitten's Joy), a 2-year-old filly filly by Medaglia d'Oro and a 2021 colt by Sea the Stars (Ire). Ebiyza, a half-sister to the dual stakes-placed Ebayya (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) and Listed Lenebane S. third Ebeyina (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), is a daughter of G1 Irish Oaks and G1 Prix Royal-Oak heroine Ebadiyla (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), herself kin to five black-type performers headed by G1 Moyglare S. victress Edabiya (Ire) (Rainbow Quest) and G1 Gold Cup-winning duo Enzeli (Ire) (Kahyasi {Ire}) and Estimate (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}).
Wednesday, Saint-Cloud, France
PRIX CORRIDA-G2, €130,000, Saint-Cloud, 5-26, 4yo/up, f/m, 10 1/2fT, 2:24.04, hy.
1–EBAIYRA, 126, f, 4, by Distorted Humor
1st Dam: Ebiyza (Ire) (GSW-Fr, $272,190), by Rock of Gibraltar (Ire)
2nd Dam: Ebalista (Ire), by Selkirk
3rd Dam: Ebadiyla (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
O-H H The Aga Khan; B-H H The Aga Khan's Studs SC (KY); T-Alain de Royer-Dupre; J-Christophe Soumillon. €74,100. Lifetime Record: G1SP-Fr, 8-4-2-1, €236,318. *1/2 to Edisa (Kitten's Joy), SW & MGSP-Fr, SW-US, $691,148. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Raabihah, 126, f, 4, Sea the Stars (Ire)–Garmoosha, by Kingmambo. O-Shadwell France; B-Shadwell Farm (KY; T-Jean-Claude Rouget. €28,600.
3–No Limit Credit (Ger), 126, f, 4, Night of Thunder (Ire)–Nasrine (Ire), by Barathea (Ire). (€32,000 RNA Ylg '18 BBAGS). O-Jurgen Sartori; B-Gestut Karlshof (GER); T-Andreas Suborics. €13,650.
Margins: 1HF, HF, HD. Odds: 1.60, 1.00, 14.00.
Also Ran: All Rumours (Fr), Amarena (Fr), Galova (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.
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