By Tom Frary
The G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud is often a battle of the stalwarts, those that fall a notch under the elite, and it was the turn of Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}–Mondelice {GB}, by Montjeu {Ire}) to enjoy his moment in the European limelight after Sunday's renewal. Running over a barely-tried mile and a half having finished third over the trip last time in the G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly, Mohamed Obaida's 6-year-old was buried under cover early by Tom Marquand awaiting the instruction.
Given the office approaching the furlong pole, the William Haggas-trained 7-1 shot took the measure of Feed The Flame (GB) (Kingman {GB}) from there to score by 1 3/4 lengths, with Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}) a further neck away in third. This was a first European top-level win for Dubai Honour, whose career before Sunday had been largely defined by a purple patch at Randwick last spring when landing the Ranvet-Queen Elizabeth Stakes group 1 double. He had only been tried in Europe four times subsequently, with his last effort at this level on the continent resulting in an off-the-board run in Ascot's Champion Stakes that he had been second in as a 3-year-old.
“This horse has travelled the world over and performed with great credit, so he deserved to finally win a group 1 race in Europe,” Marquand said. “We had a great trip–we didn't go that fast and I was able to go progressively through his gears in the straight. On fast ground like today, he can stay the mile and a half but on softer ground probably a mile and a quarter is his ideal.”
Dubai Honour scorches home against the rail to clinch his first European Group 1 in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud…@TomMarquand | @WilliamHaggas pic.twitter.com/6qaMXIshqo
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 30, 2024
Pedigree Notes
Dubai Honour is the first foal out of the unraced Mondelice (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}), a half-sister to the G3 Prix Daphnis winner Last Kingdom (Frankel {GB}) and a granddaughter of the G1 Phoenix Stakes and G2 Queen Mary Stakes winner Damson (Ire) (Entrepreneur {GB}). She is in turn the dam of Dansili's G2 Flying Childers Stakes and G3 Molecomb Stakes-winning sire Requinto (Ire) and the second dam of last year's G2 South Africa Fillies' Nursery winner Little Ballerina (SAf) (Vercingetorix {Saf}).Her yearling filly by St Mark's Basilica (Fr) was a 175,000gns purchase by Ronald Rauscher at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale.
Sunday, Saint-Cloud, France
GRAND PRIX DE SAINT-CLOUD-G1, €400,000, Saint-Cloud, 6-30, 4yo/up, 12fT, 2:30.30, g/s.
1–DUBAI HONOUR (IRE), 128, g, 6, by Pride Of Dubai (Aus)
1st Dam: Mondelice (GB), by Montjeu (Ire)
2nd Dam: Compelling (Ire), by Kingmambo
3rd Dam: Damson (Ire), by Entrepreneur (GB)
(110,000 gns Ylg '19 TAOCT). O-Mohamed Obaida; B-Macha Bloodstock & Meridian International SARL (IRE); T-William Haggas; J-Tom Marquand. €228,560. Lifetime Record: MG1SW-Aus, SW & G1SP-Eng, G1SP-HK, 24-8-4-2, €3,987,921. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Feed The Flame (GB), 128, c, 4, Kingman (GB)–Knyazhna (Ire), by Montjeu (Ire). TDN Rising Star. (€270,000 Ylg '21 ARAUG). O-Ecurie Jean-Louis Bouchard; B-Ecurie des Monceaux, Lordship Stud & Clear Light SAS (GB); T-Pascal Bary. €91,440.
3–Point Lonsdale (Ire), 128, h, 5, Australia (GB)–Sweepstake (Ire), by Acclamation (GB). (575,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor & Westerberg; B-Epona Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €45,720.
Margins: 1 3/4, NK, 3/4. Odds: 7.30, 5.10, 4.60.
Also Ran: Iresine (Fr), Zarir (Ire), Sevenna's Knight (Ire), Outbox (GB). Video, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.