Kodiac Colt Takes The Djebel

Helped by the stands rail which is always a boon on the straight track at Deauville, Hisaaki Saito's Good Guess (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) sprang a minor upset in Thursday's G3 Prix Djebel. Trying seven furlongs for the first time, having last been seen finishing third in the Listed Prix Zeddaan here in October, the Fabrice Chappet-trained bay followed the early leader Belbek (Fr) (Showcasing {GB}) with Stephane Pasquier holding back for the inevitable sprint. Finding an ideal seam up the fence as TDN Rising Star Breizh Sky (Fr) (Pedro The Great) challenged out wide, the 9-1 shot forged ahead inside the last 50 metres to score by half a length, with Belbek eventually a length away in third.

Successful on his first two starts over sprint trips at Chantilly in the summer, Good Guess had also been ninth when Belbek was fifth behind The Antarctic (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the G3 Prix de Cabourg here in August. The next furlong of the Poule d'Essai des Poulains may be beyond him, but Chappet is happy that it is within his compass. “It all went wrong in the Prix de Cabourg,” he said. “After a good break, he ran a good race in the Prix Zeddaan but that was over six which was too short and reflecting on that I think it was a mistake to run him that short again. He had a nice trip today and quickened well–very importantly, he proved that he should have no trouble staying a mile and his intended next start is in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains.”

Alessandro Botti is also eyeing the ParisLongchamp Classic with Breizh Sky. “I am slightly disappointed as I think we could have won this race, we beat the favourite but the lack of pace hurt us,” he said. “Anyway, he will be a group winner one day–he had improved a lot mentally from last year and he will come on for the run. We lost just a battle and we will be back in the Poule d'Essai.”

Pedigree Notes
Good Guess, who was a 420,000gns purchase from the Cheveley Park Stud draft by Chauvigny Global Equine at the 2021 Book 1 Sale, is a half-brother to the operation's smart Spangled (GB) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) who captured the seven-furlong G3 Sceptre S. and to the listed-placed sprinter Jumira Bridge (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). He is currently the last known foal out of the dam Zykina (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), a daughter of the brilliant Russian Rhythm (Kingmambo).

Heroine of the G1 1000 Guineas, G1 Coronation S., G1 Nassau S. and G1 Lockinge S. and arguably the best to have raced in the red, white and blue of the Thompsons, Russian Rhythm's sole black-type performer was Pivotal's listed-placed Safina (GB), who is in turn responsible for last year's G3 Atalanta S. scorer Potapova (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and the G3 Fred Darling S. winner Marenko (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}). This family of Cape Cross (Ire) also includes the group winners Zonderland (GB) and Positive (GB) by Dutch Art (GB) and Pivotal's Bashkirova (GB) who took last year's G3 Princess Elizabeth S.

Thursday, Deauville, France
PRIX DJEBEL-G3, €80,000, Deauville, 4-6, 3yo, c/g, 7fT, 1:29.20, sf.
1–GOOD GUESS (GB), 128, c, 3, by Kodiac (GB)
     1st Dam: Zykina (GB), by Pivotal (GB)
     2nd Dam: Russian Rhythm, by Kingmambo
     3rd Dam: Balistroika, by Nijinsky
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (420,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Hisaaki Saito; B-Cheveley Park Stud Ltd (GB); T-Fabrice Chappet; J-Stephane Pasquier. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 5-3-0-1, €79,500. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Breizh Sky (Fr), 128 c, 3, Pedro The Great–Anna Danse (Fr), by Anabaa. (€14,000 RNA Ylg '21 ARAUG). O-Alain Jathiere, Louis Baudron, Alessandro Botti, Giuseppe Botti & Ecurie Elag; B-Haras des Evees, Daniel Cherdo & Mme Claudie Cherdo (FR); T-Alessandro & Giuseppe Botti. €16,000.
3–Belbek (Fr), 128, c, 3, Showcasing (GB)–Bee Queen (GB), by Makfi (GB). O-Nurlan Bizakov; B-Sumbe (FR); T-Andre Fabre. €12,000.
Margins: HF, 1, NK. Odds: 9.70, 2.60, Evens.
Also Ran: Kubrick (Ire), Duc De Morny (GB). Video, sponsored by TVG.