By Sean Cronin
Nicolas Caullery trainee King Gold (Fr) (Anodin {Ire}–Miss Gandelia {Fr}, by Kingsalsa) made a breakthrough at black-type level with a first such victory in June's G3 Prix de la Porte Maillot at ParisLongchamp when last seen and made the leap forward to prevail in a thrilling renewal of Sunday's G1 Arc Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville. The 39-5 chance was alert from the gates before settling under cover off the pace with just one rival behind through halfway. Inching closer when nudged along passing the quarter-mile marker, he was ridden to engage British raider Spycatcher (Ire) (Vadamos {Fr}) soon after passing the furlong pole and kept on strongly under a late drive to deny that rival by a short-head after a pulsating nip-and-tuck tussle. The Hollie Doyle-ridden Saint Lawrence (Ire) (Al Kazeem {GB}) closed fast and late to finish a neck adrift in third.
“What a day and what a race,” beamed trainer Nicolas Caullery after collecting a first prize at the highest level. “I have so many people to thank, especially owners and breeders Raymonde and Christian Wingtans. It has been so much work for them, for so many years, to finally win a Group 1 race with a horse they bred. They are my friends and they have always supported me. I must also thank my wife Marine, my son Charles and others who are not us with us anymore. And, of course, King Gold who made all this possible. He has always showed great potential since he was a 2-year-old, but he has had his share of problems. We had to go slowly with him as he wasn't really that precocious and needed time to mature. He ran this winter in Dubai, where he was twice unlucky, but that set him up perfectly for the European season and he has been almost perfect since. He has always been a warrior and he had to be one today. This is history now and the present is the moment to savour. All being well, he will return over his favorite course and distance [seven furlongs at ParisLongchamp] in the [G1] Prix de la Foret.”
So close for the Spycatcher team! @karl_burke's 5yo just loses out to King Gold in a tight finish in the Prix Maurice De Gheest at Deauville.
Saint Lawrence and @HollieDoyle1 a very close third.
— Champions Series (@ChampionsSeries) August 6, 2023
Winning rider Stephane Pasquier added, “The whole Nicolas Caullery team deserves a huge pat on the back for the work they have done to make the horse what he is today. There's a lot of emotion involved. I had a perfect race, and the horse showed his fighting qualities to the bitter end. He gave of himself particularly generously and was incredible today.”
Reflecting on the effort of the runner-up, Highclere's Harry Herbert commented, “Spycatcher put in a great performance. We almost retired him last year, but our vet treated him and he was able to resume his racing career. All credit to trainer Karl Burke and his team for getting him back to this level. Winning a Group 3, and coming so close to winning a Group 1, couldn't have been envisaged a year ago. We'll certainly consider running him in the [G1] Sprint Cup at Haydock.”
Pedigree Notes
King Gold, who becomes the first Group 1 winner for his sire, is the second foal produced by the unraced Miss Gandelia (Fr) (Kingsalsa), who is a full-sister to MGSP G2 Prix Robert Papin runner-up Queensalsa (Fr). Miss Gandelia is also a half-sister to Listed Prix des Jouvenceaux et des Jouvencelles victrix and G3 Prix du Calvados third Queen America (Fr) (American Post {GB}). Queensalsa, in turn, is the dam of Listed Prix Isonomy victrix Whip And Win (Fr) (Whipper), herself the dam of Listed Prix de Saint-Cyr victrix and GIII Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf S. third Pas De Soucis (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}). King Gold's third dam Nadelia (Fr) (Nadjar {Fr}), who hails from the family of MG1SW sires Sulamani (Ire) (Hernando {Fr}) and Dream Well (Fr) (Sadler's Wells), is kin to the Listed Derby de l'Ouest third King's Winner (Fr) (Legend Of France). Miss Gandelia has the unraced 2-year-old filly Nadelia (Fr) (Spanish Moon) to come.
Sunday, Deauville, France
ARC PRIX MAURICE DE GHEEST-G1, €380,000, Deauville, 8-6, 3yo/up, 6 1/2fT, 1:19.71, vsf.
1–KING GOLD (FR), 130, h, 6, by Anodin (Ire)
1st Dam: Miss Gandelia (Fr), by Kingsalsa
2nd Dam: Gandelia (Fr), by Ganges
3rd Dam: Nadelia (Fr), by Nadjar (Fr)
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Mme Christian Wingtans & Nicolas Caullery; B-Mme Christian Wingtans (FR); T-Nicolas Caullery; J-Stephane Pasquier. €217,132. Lifetime Record: GSP-Ger, 35-8-3-7, €425,987. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Spycatcher (Ire), 130, g, 5, Vadamos (Fr)–Damask (Ire), by Red Clubs (Ire). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (90,000gns 2yo '20 TATBRE). O-Highclere Thoroughbred Racing (Adriana Zaefferer); B-Tally-Ho Stud (IRE); T-Karl Burke. €86,868.
3–Saint Lawrence (Ire), 130, g, 5, Al Kazeem (GB)–Affluent (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-D J Deer; B-D J & Mrs Deer (IRE); T-Archie Watson. €43,434.
Margins: SHD, NK, 2. Odds: 7.80, 1.60, 12.00.
Also Ran: Cold Case (GB), Art Power (Ire), Sandrine (GB), Rohaan (Ire), Brad The Brief (GB), Egot (Ire), Fort Payne (Fr). Video, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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