Shamardal's Shaman takes advantage as Sottsass fails to fire

   In one of ParisLongchamp's season-opener's unexpected reversals, White Birch Farm's G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) could only manage fourth as the Wertheimers' Shaman (Ire) (Shamardal) made all for an upset in the G2 Prix d'Harcourt. Campaigned mainly at a mile last term and runner-up in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and G1 Prix Jacques le Marois, Shaman had stamina to prove upped to this 10-furlong distance for the first time but Maxime Guyon was able to dictate steady fractions on the homebred. After turning back Simona (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) in a solid if unspectacular home-straight effort, the 13-2 shot earned the success by 3/4 of a length from the stalwart Way To Paris (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}), who denied Simona a short neck with a laboured Sottsass a further length away.
   Shaman had previously shown encouraging form over further than a mile when winning the nine-furlong G3 Prix la Force here at this track in April before reverting in trip for the remainder of his season. Only a length off Persian King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) when runner-up in the Poulains here, he was ridden from behind when fifth in Royal Ascot's G1 St James's Palace S. in June and when sixth in this venue's G1 Prix du Moulin in September either side of a more prominent effort when runner-up in Deauville's Jacques le Marois in August. Put in his place by The Revenant (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) when third in the G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein on Arc weekend on his latest visit to this circuit, the bay had every opportunity to enjoy an unhindered run on the lead here on a day when closers were finding it tough to make up ground.
   The strong suggestion that this was not a thorough test at the trip suited Shaman, whose dam Only Green (Ire) (Green Desert) was most effective over seven furlongs as she proved when winning the Listed Prix de Saint-Cyr and Listed Prix du Pont-Neuf and running third in the G3 Prix Imprudence. She is kin to the G1 Prix de la Foret and G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest heroine and excellent producer Occupandiste (Ire) (Kaldoun {Fr}), responsible for the GI Arlington Million and GI Woodbine Mile hero Mondialiste (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the G3 Prix du Petit Couvert and G3 Prix de Saint-Georges winner Only Answer (GB)–who shares Green Desert as a sire with Only Green–and the G2 Prix de Sandringham scorer Impressionnante (GB) (Danehill). The latter is in turn the dam of the operation's G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero Intello (Ger) (Galileo {Ire}). The third dam Elle Seule (Exclusive Native) captured the G2 Prix d'Astarte and is a half-sister to four separate top-level winners, most notably the GI Preakness S. hero Timber Country (Woodman) and the G1 Grand Prix de Paris hero and leading South African sire Fort Wood (Sadler's Wells). Elle Seule's progeny list is headed by the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine and group 1-producing Mehthaaf (Nureyev) and the G1 July Cup hero and sire Elnadim (Danzig). Only Green, whose Green Sweet (Smart Strike) took the Listed Prix Omnium and Albury Gold Cup, also has an as-yet unraced 3-year-old filly by Galileo (Ire) named Cordova (Ire) and a yearling filly by Siyouni (Fr) named Situveux (Ire).

Monday, ParisLongchamp, France
PRIX D'HARCOURT-G2, €90,000, ParisLongchamp, 5-11, 4yo/up, 10fT, 2:06.68, vsf.
1–SHAMAN (IRE), 126, c, 4, by Shamardal
1st Dam: Only Green (Ire) (MSW & GSP-Fr, $165,007), by Green Desert
2nd Dam: Only Seule, by Lyphard
3rd Dam: Elle Seule, by Exclusive Native
O/B-Wertheimer & Frere (IRE); T-Carlos Laffon-Parias; J-Maxime Guyon. €51,300. Lifetime Record: MG1SP-Fr, 12-5-3-2, €592,701. *1/2 to Green Sweet (Smart Strike), SW-Aus & Fr, $239,142. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Way To Paris (GB), 126, h, 7, Champs Elysees (GB)–Grey Way, by Cozzene. (50,000gns Ylg '14 TATOCT). O-Paolo Ferrario; B-Grundy Bloodstock SRL (GB); T-Andrea Marcialis. €19,800.
3–Simona (Fr), 122, f, 4, Siyouni (Fr)–Monava (Fr), by El Prado (Ire). O-Carolyn & Nigel Elwes; B-Nigel Elwes (FR); T-Francis-Henri Graffard. €9,450.
Margins: 3/4, SNK, 1. Odds: 6.40, 27.00, 7.70.
Also Ran: Sottsass (Fr), Villa Rosa (Fr), Royal Julius (Ire), Folamour (GB), Soudania (GB), Syrtis (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.