By Sean Cronin
Godolphin's homebred 4-year-old gelding Botanik (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}–Autumn Lily, by Street Cry {Ire}) took his record to six wins from 11 starts when annexing this month's G3 Prix de Reux going 12 1/2 furlongs at Deauville and doubled his stakes tally with a decisive victory in Sunday's G2 Lucien Barriere Grand Prix de Deauville over the same strip back on the Normandy coast. The 2020 G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud runner-up had been on the fringes during a sophomore campaign, which yielded two wins from three starts last term, and broke alertly to hold an early lead before accepting a tow in second for most of this stamina test. Shaken up to close off the home turn, the 6-5 favourite was ridden to challenge the pacesetting Japanese raider Stay Foolish (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}) entering the final furlong and stayed on strongly under continued urging once hitting the front with 100 metres remaining to deny that rival by 1 1/4 lengths for a career-high triumph. Last term's Listed Prix de l'Avre victor Fenelon (Fr) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) tracked the leading duo throughout and finished best of the remainder, 4 1/2 lengths further adrift in third.
“He was a top 2-year-old and was then off for almost a year, but he has retained all his quality as his record indicates,” said rider Mickael Barzalona. “He was in very good form coming into the race after winning his prep race here earlier in the month. He was slightly keen early on, but the strong pace helped. He then settled nicely and won very well indeed at the end.”
Reflecting on the effort of this term's G2 Dubai Gold Cup victor Stay Foolish, connections' representative Yukihiko Araki added, “We are delighted with his run and not disappointed at all. The horse arrived in Europe only two weeks prior to this race and hadn't done much in between. His target is the [G1 Prix de l'] Arc [de Triomphe] and he will come back stronger and fitter for that.”
Botanik, one of his sire's two Group-race winners, is the second of five foals out of a multiple-winning half-sister to G1 Lockinge S. runner-up and G3 Prix de Cabourg-winning sire Alexandros (GB) (Kingmambo). The March-foaled bay's G1 Premio Roma-winning third dam High Hawk (Ire) (Shirley Heights {GB}) produced a quartet of Group winners by Sadler's Wells (Northern Dancer) headed by multiple Group 1-winning sire In The Wings (GB). High Hawk's half-sister High Tern (Ire) (High Line {GB}) is the dam of G1 Derby winner High-Rise (Ire) (High Estate {GB}) as well as being the second dam of G1 Oaks d'Italia heroine Zomaradah (GB) (Deploy {GB}). Zomaradah, of course, is the dam of Dubawi (Ire) (Dubai Millennium {GB}). Botanik's dam Autumn Lily (Street Cry {Ire}) has a 2-year-old filly by Shamardal and a yearling colt by Golden Horn (GB) to come.
Sunday, Deauville, France
LUCIEN BARRIRE GRAND PRIX DE DEAUVILLE-G3, €200,000, Deauville, 8-28, 3yo/up, 12 1/2fT, 2:26.23, gd.
1–BOTANIK (IRE), 130, g, 4, by Golden Horn (GB)
1st Dam: Autumn Lily, by Street Cry {Ire})
2nd Dam: Arlette (Ire), by King Of Kings (Ire)
3rd Dam: High Hawk (Ire), by Shirley Heights (GB)
O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Andre Fabre; J-Mickael Barzalona. €114,000. Lifetime Record: 12-7-2-1, €279,221. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Stay Foolish (Jpn), 132, h, 7, Stay Gold (Jpn)–Kauai Lane (Jpn), by King Kamehameha (Jpn). O-Shadai Race Horse Company Ltd; B-Shadai Farm (JPN); T-Yoshito Yahagi. €44,000.
3–Fenelon (Fr), 130, c, 4, Fastnet Rock (Aus)–Aigue Marine (GB), by Galileo (Ire). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€80,000 RNA Ylg '19 ARQAUG). O-Gerard Augustin-Normand, Noir et Or Elevage SA & Ecurie Skymarc Farm; B-Noir et Or Elevage SA & Ecurie Skymarc Farm (FR); T-Nicolas Clement. €21,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 4HF, 1. Odds: 1.20, 2.80, 6.50.
Also Ran: Glycon (Fr), Media Storm (GB). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.
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