By Sean Cronin
Bouncing back off a fourth in June's G1 Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly, Al Shaqab's homebred 3-year-old colt Al Hakeem (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}–Jadhaba {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) was all heart and regained the winning thread in Monday's G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano at Deauville. The January-foaled bay closed his two-race juvenile campaign with a breakthrough success at Chantilly and doubled his win tally back there on seasonal return before earning his black-type stripes contesting the May 3 Listed Prix de Suresnes at Chantilly in his penultimate start. The even-money favourite was a shade keen through the initial strides and settled into a smooth rhythm tracking the leaders in fourth for the most part. Looming large on the bridle turning for home, he seized a narrow advantage passing the quarter-mile marker and was driven out, despite drifting towards the far-side rail, to subdue the persistent G2 Prix Noailles victor Junko (GB) (Intello {Ger}) by a half length in game fashion. Lady Bamford's homebred G3 Prix de Conde runner-up True Testament (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) kept on well in the closing stages to finish 3/4-of-a-length adrift in third.
“He ran a very good race in the [G1 Prix du] Jockey Club, he's definitely a Group 1 horse and he will win a Group 1 one day,” insisted trainer Jean-Claude Rouget. “It could be this year or next year, so I hope he stays in training as a 4-year-old. This was a good race for him and he won easily in the end. He's a backward horse, but he's strong and I think the best is yet to come. I think he will stay a mile-and-a-half, but we'll see. I'll discuss plans with the Al Shaqab team and maybe the [G1 Prix de l'] Arc [de Triomphe is a possibility. He could go straight there, but I won't be alone in coming to that decision.”
Al Hakeem is the second of three foals and one of two scorers produced by G3 Prix Penelope placegetter Jadhaba (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who is one of six winners and the leading representative of GI E.P. Taylor S. third Naissance Royale (Ire) (Giant's Causeway), herself a half-sister to G2 Sun Chariot S. and G3 Musidora S. placegetter Spinnette (Ire) (Spinning World). Descendants of Spinette include stakes-winning GII Beverly Hills H. third Green Lyons (Ire) (Green Desert) and dual Grade III placegetter Tarrip (Green Desert). The January-foaled homebred bay is half to a 2-year-old filly by Kingman (GB).
Monday, Deauville, France
PRIX GUILLAUME D'ORNANO-G2, €400,000, Deauville, 8-15, 3yo, 10fT, 2:07.58, g/s.
1–AL HAKEEM (GB), 128, c, 3, by Siyouni (Fr)
1st Dam: Jadhaba (Ire) (GSP-Fr), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Naissance Royale (Ire), by Giant's Causeway
3rd Dam: Net Worth, by Forty Niner
1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-Al Shaqab Racing (GB); T-Jean-Claude Rouget; J-Cristian Demuro. €228,000. Lifetime Record: 6-4-0-0, €371,350. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Junko (GB), 128, g, 3, Intello (Ger)–Lady Zuzu (MGSP-US, $112,615), by Dynaformer. O/B-Wertheimer & Frere (GB); T-Andre Fabre. €88,000.
3–True Testament (Ire), 128, c, 3, Siyouni (Fr)–To Eternity (GB), by Galileo (Ire). O/B-Lady Bamford (IRE); T-Andre Fabre. €42,000.
Margins: HF, 3/4, HF. Odds: 1.00, 6.40, 10.00.
Also Ran: Vagalame (Ire), Missed The Cut, Hauran (Fr). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.
Tough! French Derby fourth Al Hakeem is first past the post in the Group 2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano for @CristianDemuro and Jean-Claude Rouget, with Missed The Cut fifth at @fgdeauville! pic.twitter.com/ux8Xl5S0gr
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) August 15, 2022
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