By Tom Frary
Despite his achievements to date, there is still a sense that TDN Rising Star Persian King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) is a case of still waters running deep. Looking for another win at the highest level to complement his G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains success of 2019, he found it coming to him relatively easy in Sunday's G1 Prix d'Ispahan at Chantilly. Shadowing the vastly-improved British raider Pogo (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}) straining Pierre-Charles Boudot's reins initially, the 9-10 favourite was allowed to stride to the front approaching the two-furlong pole to put paid to any remaining stamina concerns. From there Godolphin and Ballymore Thoroughbred Ltd's bay saw out the nine furlongs as strongly as it looked he would when finishing with a flourish last time in the G2 Prix du Muguet over a mile. There was a two-length winning margin and a gulf in class to the game veteran Stormy Antarctic (GB) (Stormy Atlantic) at the line, as Pogo clung on to third 1 3/4 lengths away. Anthony Stroud, representing connections, paid tribute to the trainer afterwards. “There is no need to say that Andre Fabre has done a marvellous job to bring him back to where he is now,” he said in reference to the winner's substantial lay-off. “It's been step-by-step and it will continue that way. He was a very good 2-year-old and has a lot of talent.”
Much water has passed under the bridge since Persian King beat Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and Circus Maximus (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in what has become a portent of things to follow in Newmarket's G3 Autumn S. in October 2018. His Poulains victory in testing ground was followed by a reversal and an injury sustained in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club here last June and it was only June 10 when he was eventually able to return to active duty. In all likelihood shy of a peak, he had the misfortune to come up against a progressive talent from his own yard and was turned over by Magny Cours (Medaglia d'Oro) in the Listed Prix de Montretout over a mile back at this venue. The subsequent exploits of that stablemate when winning a competitive renewal of Sandown's Listed Gala S. shed more favourable light on that effort and Persian King was able to build as he dispatched the two considerable compatriots Pretreville (Fr) (Acclamation {GB}) and Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) in the Muguet at Saint-Cloud June 28.
Stroud was not ruling out a potential tilt at the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and added, “It is a distinct possibility, but obviously it depends on Andre and the owners. In the French Derby, he was drawn wide on the outside and got injured in the race, so you can't categorically say he doesn't stay. The jury is still out and his family suggests he could stay a mile and a half.” Fabre seemed set on reverting to a mile afterwards as he said, “At one stage, the [G1] Juddmonte International was an option, but now I think that I will run him in the [G1 Prix] Jacques le Marois [at Deauville Aug. 16].”
Persian King's dam Pretty Please (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}) is a three-parts sister to the G1 Prix Ganay hero Planteur (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and a half to the dual listed winner Pilote d'Essai (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). The third dam Palmeraie (Lear Fan) is kin to three black-type winners, most notably the GII Long Island H. heroine Peinture Bleue (Alydar) who later produced the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero and leading sire Peintre Celebre.
Sunday, Chantilly, France
PRIX D'ISPAHAN-G1, €150,000, Chantilly, 7-19, 3yo/up, 9fT, 1:47.21, g/s.
1–PERSIAN KING (IRE), 131, c, 4, by Kingman%20(GB)#tot">Kingman (GB)
1st Dam: Pretty Please (Ire), by Dylan Thomas (Ire)
2nd Dam: Plante Rare (Ire), by Giant's Causeway
3rd Dam: Palmeraie, by Lear Fan
O-Ballymore Thoroughbred Ltd & Godolphin; B-Dayton Investments (Breeding) Ltd (IRE); T-Andre Fabre; J-Pierre-Charles Boudot. €85,710. Lifetime Record: GSW-Eng, 10-7-3-0, €949,202. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Stormy Antarctic (GB), 131, g, 7, Stormy Atlantic–Bea Remembered (GB), by Doyen (Ire). (68,000gns Wlg '13 TATFOA; 200,000gns 2yo '15 TATBRE). O-Pak Kwan Siu; B-East Bloodstock Ltd (GB); T-Ed Walker. €11,200.
3–Pogo (Ire), 131, c, 4, Zebedee (GB)–Cute (GB), by Diktat (GB). (€10,500 Wlg '16 GOFNOV; £32,000 Ylg '17 GOUKPR). O-Gary & Linnet Woodward; B-Thomas Foy (IRE); T-Charles Hills. €8,400.
Margins: 2, 1 3/4, 1HF. Odds: 0.80, 37.00, 39.00.
Also Ran: Motamarris (Ire), Century Dream (Ire), Positive (GB), Roseman (Ire), Shaman (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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