By Tom Frary
Godolphin's much-documented upturn continued apace at Chantilly on Sunday, when the Saeed bin Suroor-trained Royal Meeting (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) provided his sire with a weekend group 1 double in the Criterium International. Keen initially in third with Christophe Soumillon intent on getting a lead on the inexperienced Sept. 19 Yarmouth maiden winner, the 4-1 shot drifted left when sent in pursuit of Hermosa (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) but once straightened swooped on that 7-5 favourite 150 metres out en route to a 3/4-of-a-length success, with Graignes (Fr) (Zoffany {Ire}) a neck behind in third. “This is a tribute to the good work of Saeed, as he had so little experience,” Godolphin's Lisa-Jane Graffard commented, while Christophe Soumillon added, “They went a good pace and I waited for them to take me as far as possible. He quickened really nicely when I asked and gave me a really good impression.”
Royal Meeting is a son of the G1 Alan Robertson Fillies' Championship-winning champion 2-year-old filly Rock Opera (SAf) (Lecture) and therefore a half-sister to Heavy Metal (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), who proved such a longstanding moneyspinner with his first group 2 win coming in the 2012 G2 Richmond S. and his latest in this year's Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 and Godolphin Mile. The dam is a full-sister to the G2 P. G. Bison Nursery winner Hit Song (SAf) (Lecture) and the Allan Robertson Fillies Championship third Rock Concert (SAf), with the latter being responsible for Van Halen (SAf) (Oratorio {Ire}) who captured the G1 Gold Medallion. Also connected to the G1 Cape Flying Championship hero Gulf Storm (SAf) (Sail From Seattle), she has a yearling colt by Shamardal to follow.
Sunday, Chantilly, France
CRITERIUM INTERNATIONAL-G1, €250,000, Chantilly, 10-28, 2yo, c/f, 7fT, 1:27.19, g/s.
1–ROYAL MEETING (IRE), 126, c, 2, by Invincible Spirit (Ire)
1st Dam: Rock Opera (SAf) (Ch. 2-y-o Filly-SAf, G1SW-SAf & SP-UAE, $115,777), by Lecture
2nd Dam: Drummer Girl (SAf), by Al Mufti
3rd Dam: Swinging Girl (SAf), by Mullineaux
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Saeed bin Suroor; J-Christophe Soumillon. €142,850. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, €148,246. *1/2 to Heavy Metal (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), MGSW-UAE & GSW-Eng, $1,790,704. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Hermosa (Ire), 122, f, 2, Galileo (Ire)–Beauty Is Truth (Ire), by Pivotal (GB). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Susan Magnier; B-Beauty Is Truth Syndicate (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €57,150.
3–Graignes (Fr), 126, c, 2, Zoffany (Ire)–Grey Anatomy (GB), by Slickly (Fr). (€40,000 Ylg '17 AROCT; €90,000 2yo '18 ARMAY). O-Gerard Augustin-Normand; B-Ecurie Euroling (FR); T-Yann Barberot. €28,575.
Margins: 3/4, NK, 1 1/4. Odds: 4.00, 1.40, 6.50.
Also Ran: Kessaar (Ire), Ecolo (Fr), San Andreas (Ire). Scratched: Bye Bye Hong Kong. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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