By Tom Frary
Frankie Dettori was looking for instant compensation for missing next week's Ebor meeting at York and he gained it at Deauville on Saturday as the G1 Prix du Jockey Club winner Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) proved a class apart in the G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano Haras du Logis Saint-Germain. Content to track the pace in second, Prince Faisal's homebred moved to the front at the top of the straight and drew away to confirm July 5 Chantilly Classic placings with The Summit (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and Victor Ludorum (GB) (Shamardal). At the line, he was stronger than anywhere and the 4 1/2-length winning margin was a true reflection of the state of affairs. “They went slow early on, but the tempo increased and he was well within his rhythm,” commented Dettori, who is due to stay in Deauville for next weekend's action. “He hasn't stopped improving and he feels like a real nice one. The ground is really heavy and it made it much more than a mile-and-a-quarter race, so I would say I think he'll stay a mile and a half. I walked the course and it's quicker against the hedge, but he likes soft ground and finishes off his races strong. With a question mark over Andre Fabre's horse on the ground, it was a case of catch me if you can and I made sure it was a true test. I think there's a possibility he might stay in training, but if they wanted a go at the Arc I'm not going to put them off.”
Mishriff, who had also taken the Listed Newmarket S. over this trip June 6 prior to his Jockey Club success, has options open now according to Prince Faisal's racing manager Ted Voute. “He looks like the champion 3-year-old colt at the moment,” he stated. “It was great. It was a good job Frankie went over–he's a master tactician and looking at the race he was trying to find all the best ground, as they all did, and he was the best on the day. We are pleased and the Prince is absolutely delighted. We haven't talked about anything in the future, but the race to consider would logically be the [G1] Champion Stakes at Ascot. I don't think we'd go to Ireland. He's done some travelling, so it would be nice to win a group one on his homeland. He's a big, scopey horse. We've not talked about his 4-year-old career yet. Everything is up in the air and is all to be decided between the Prince and John. He's not in the Arc, we'd have to supplement and we've got the prize money now to be able to do that. I think a serious conversation will happen between the Prince and John. They will decide at the appropriate time whether to do that or go for the Champion Stakes. John's the master and the Prince is an experienced owner. They will thrash out the next spot for him.”
The Summit was having his last race on French soil for trainer Henri-Alex Pantall and he said, “The winner proved superior in the Jockey Club and did so again today, so we have no complaints and no excuses. My horse was very courageous to keep second and maybe would have been a clear second if he had been allowed an easy lead in the back straight. That's not really an excuse, but this is his last race in France as he is due to be exported to Hong Kong now.”
Mishriff is a Nawara Stud-bred through and through, with the dam Contradict (GB) (Raven's Pass) having also produced the Listed Prix de Saint-Patrick winner Orbaan (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and last year's G3 Craven S. and G3 Supreme S. runner-up Momkin (Ire) (Bated Breath {GB}). The second dam Acts of Grace (Bahri) captured the G3 Princess Royal S. and is one of four black-type winners out of the G1 Prix de Diane heroine and significant producer Rafha (GB) (Kris {GB}) alongside the aforementioned G1 Haydock Sprint Cup hero and Invincible Spirit. Another of Rafha's progeny is the Listed Empress S. winner and G2 Prix Robert Papin runner-up Massarra (GB) (Danehill), a full-sister to the prolific sire Kodiac (GB) who threw the G1 Gran Criterium winner Nayarra (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) for the Stud and also Coolmore's G2 Superlative S. winner and G1 Irish 2000 Guineas-placed Gustav Klimt (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).
Saturday, Deauville, France
PRIX GUILLAUME D'ORNANO – HARAS DU LOGIS SAINT-GERMAIN-G2, €280,000, Deauville, 8-15, 3yo, 10fT, 2:16.32, hy.
1–MISHRIFF (IRE), 128, c, 3, by Make Believe (GB)
1st Dam: Contradict (GB), by Raven's Pass
2nd Dam: Acts of Grace, by Bahri
3rd Dam: Rafha (GB), by Kris (GB)
O-Prince A A Faisal; B-Nawara Stud Company Ltd (IRE); T-John Gosden; J-Lanfranco Dettori. €159,600. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Fr & SW-Eng, 7-4-1-1, €839,093. *1/2 to Orbaan (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), SW-Fr; and Momkin (Ire) (Bated Breath {GB}), MGSP-Eng. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–The Summit (Fr), 128, c, 3, Wootton Bassett (GB)–Acola (Fr), by Acatenango (Ger). (€16,000 Ylg '18 AROCT). O-Marc Chan & Mme Lei Li; B-SARL Jedburgh Stud (FR); T-Henri-Alex Pantall. €61,600.
3–Victor Ludorum (GB), 128, c, 3, Shamardal–Antiquities (GB), by Kaldounevees (Fr). O/B-Godolphin; T-Andre Fabre. €29,400.
Margins: 4HF, HD, 12. Odds: 0.80, 6.70, 1.50.
Also Ran: Dream Works (Fr). Scratched: Crossfirehurricane. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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