By Tom Frary
There was a surprise in store at Deauville on Saturday, with the feature G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano Haras du Logis Saint-Germain going to one of the lesser-fancied of the British raiders in Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride of Dubai {Aus}) from the red-hot William Haggas stable. Last seen beating the subsequent G3 Rose of Lancaster S. winner Foxes Tales (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) by a head in receipt of nine pounds in a heritage handicap over this 10-furlong trip at Newmarket July 9, the gelding who sports the Mohamed Obaida silks raced in rear early as Maxime Guyon waited off the strong pace. Coming alive in the straight, the 11-1 shot was able to reel in the leaders with relative ease passing the furlong pole and draw away for a comfortable 1 3/4-length defeat of Pretty Tiger (Ire) (Sea the Moon {Ger}). In doing so, he completed a group-race treble for his yard after the wins of Cloudy Dawn (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) in this track's G3 Prix de Lieurey and Sacred (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) in the G2 Hungerford S. “The trainer showed some confidence, but he did say that I'd do well not being too far from the pace,” Guyon commented. “That was not easy from his eight draw and with the pace strong I had to travel at the back. When I moved between horses, he really changed gears and that was something that the trainer wasn't certain he could do. I tell you, this horse knows how to quicken!”
Dubai Honour, who was off the mark at the third attempt trying a mile for the first time at Haydock in September, had been gelded after a subsequent fourth in a nursery at that trip at York the following month. Making his reappearance in Royal Ascot's always-competitive Britannia H. staying at a mile June 17, he performed with credit in that tough re-entry to lead home all on the far side only to finish fourth overall before moving up to this trip to outstay the classy Foxes Tales in a strong handicap at the July meeting. Despite TDN Rising Star Derab (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) and the G1 Prix de Diane runner-up Philomene (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) failing to meet expactations here, the form has a solid look and there was no hint of fluke in the winner's dominant performance.
Dubai Honour is the first foal out of the unraced Mondelice (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}) who is a half-sister to the G3 Prix Daphnis winner Last Kingdom (Frankel {GB}) and the GIII Sweetest Chant S. third Ivyetsu (Tapit). She is a granddaughter of the G1 Phoenix S. heroine Damson (Ire) (Entrepreneur {GB}), who is also the dam of the G2 Flying Childers S. and G3 Molecomb S.-winning sire Requinto (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) and the second dam of the G3 Eulogy S. winner Lilikoi (NZ) (Charm Spirit {Ire}). BBA Ireland had the foresight to invest 160,000gns in her 2-year-old daughter of Wootton Bassett (GB) at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 2, while her yearling colt is by Cracksman (GB) and she has a colt foal by Invincible Spirit (Ire).
Saturday, Deauville, France
PRIX GUILLAUME D'ORNANO – HARAS DU LOGIS SAINT-GERMAIN-G2, €400,000, Deauville, 8-14, 3yo, 10fT, 2:04.83, g/s.
1–DUBAI HONOUR (IRE), 128, g, 3, by Pride of Dubai (Aus)
1st Dam: Mondelice (GB), by Montjeu (Ire)
2nd Dam: Compelling (Ire), by Kingmambo
3rd Dam: Damson (Ire), by Entrepreneur (GB)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (110,000 gns Ylg '19 TAOCT). O-Mohamed Obaida; B-Macha Bloodstock & Meridian International SARL (IRE); T-William Haggas; J-Maxime Guyon. €228,000. Lifetime Record: 7-3-1-0, €285,578. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Pretty Tiger (Ire), 128, c, 3, Sea the Moon (Ger)–Fast and Pretty (Ire), by Zamindar. (€105,000 Ylg '19 ARAUG). O-Bernard Giraudon & Ecuries Serge Stempniak; B-Chevotel de la Hauquerie (IRE); T-Fabrice Vermeulen. €88,000.
3–Tasman Bay (Fr), 128, c, 3, Le Havre (Ire)–Purely Priceless (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). (€220,000 Ylg '19 ARAUG). O-Sir Peter Vela; B-SARL de Chambure, Haras d'Etreham & SARL Ecurie des Charmes (FR); T-Sir Mark Todd. €42,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, NK, NK. Odds: 11.30, 6.10, 24.00.
Also Ran: Highland Avenue (Ire), Philomene (Ire), Caprice des Dieux (Fr), Millebosc (Fr), Derab (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.
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