By Sean Cronin
Juddmonte's 3-year-old colt Flight Leader (GB) (Frankel {GB}–Principal Role, by Empire Maker) was last seen graduating in an Oct. 12 nine-furlong maiden at Chantilly and put his hat into the ring for June's G1 Prix du Jockey Club back there after battling to a game victory on seasonal return in Sunday's G3 Prix Noailles at ParisLongchamp. The eventual winner, who had earlier posted a Sept. 1 debut ninth behind the 'TDN Rising Star' performance of Padishakh (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) at this venue, broke from the outside stall and found cover off the tempo in fifth after the initial strides. Coaxed along passing the quarter-mile marker, the 19-5 chance came under sterner urging entering the final furlong and was driven out in the latter stages to prevail by a short-neck from Harry Way (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) in brave fashion. In a blanket finish, Fabrice Chappet nominee Fortune (Fr) (De Treville {GB}) was a neck adrift in third.
“When this horse first ran Andre Fabre had mentioned him as a potentially very good one, but unfortunately he missed out on debut,” said Juddmonte's on-course representative. “He won well second time out over nine furlongs, proving already that he stays, and he should be better on good ground. He will come on for the run and has made a step forward to the [June 4 G1] Prix du Jockey Club. Andre Fabre will discuss his programme with Barry Mahon and the [Abdullah] family. There are plenty of opportunities and the trainer knows how to handle these situations, so we have no worries.”
Flight Leader, who becomes the 79th pattern-race winner for his sire (by Galileo {Ire}), is the sixth of eight foals and one of four scorers produced by MSW G1 Nassau S. third Principal Role (Empire Maker). The March-foaled bay's dam, herself a daughter of GII La Prevoyante H. and GIII River Cities Budweiser Breeders' Cup S. victrix Interim (GB) (Sadler's Wells), is kin to GI Charles Whittingham Memorial-winning sire Midships (Mizzen Mast), GI San Juan Capistrano Invitational runner-up Staging Post (Pleasant Colony) and to the dam of G1 Grosser Preis von Bayern heroine Temida (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}). Flight Leader is a half-brother to the unraced 2-year-old colt Rickshaw (GB) (Cracksman {GB}) and a weanling filly by Kingman (GB).
Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
PRIX NOAILLES-G3, €80,000, ParisLongchamp, 4-16, 3yo, 10 1/2fT, 2:18.69, hy.
1–FLIGHT LEADER (GB), 128, c, 3, by Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Principal Role {MSW & G1SP-Eng, MGSP-US, $238,766}, by Empire Maker
2nd Dam: Interim (GB), by Sadler's Wells
3rd Dam: Intermission (GB), by Stage Door Johnny
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms Ireland Ltd (GB); T-Andre Fabre; J-Bauyrzhan Murzabayev. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, €53,500. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Harry Way (Fr), 128, g, 3, Galiway (GB)–Miss Vinga (Fr), by High Rock (Ire). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Le Haras de la Gousserie & Robert Bonaventure; B-Robert Bonaventure (FR); T-Nicolas Perret. €16,000.
3–Fortune (Fr), 128, c, 3, De Treville (GB)–February Sun (GB), by Monsun (Ger). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O/B-Rashit Shaykhutdinov (FR); T-Fabrice Chappet. €12,000.
Margins: SNK, NK, 3/4. Odds: 3.80, 3.00, 2.40.
Also Ran: Londoner (Ire), Rubis Vendome (GB), Prince De Paname (Fr), Mononof (Fr). Video, sponsored by TVG.
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