By Tom Frary
It was not easy for Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) in Sunday's G1 Prix Ganay at Chantilly, but White Birch Farm's G1 Prix du Jockey-Club hero and G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe third duly delivered to put his 4-year-old campaign on the right track. Settled third early by Cristian Demuro racing without cover as Shaman (Ire) (Shamardal) enjoyed an unpestered lead, the even-money favourite who had been fourth in the G2 Prix d'Harcourt at ParisLongchamp May 11 gained a narrow advantage with 300 metres remaining and battled gamely as Way To Paris (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}) closed in. At the line, there was just a head between them, with Shaman fading to third three lengths away.
Jean-Claude Rouget was not at the track, but his long-time right-hand man Jean-Bernard Roth was and he said, “It is a relief to see him win again, but we were not really worried beforehand. With the virus and the delayed start to the season, we didn't want to rush him too early as he is a horse who has a tendency to worry. He didn't really do well on his first run in each of his seasons and has improved with time, so there was no point having him at 100% for the Harcourt. We knew he would come on a lot for the run and that's exactly what happened. He's a horse who is a fighter and doesn't give up, plus he also likes the course here so the win today was a reward for the hard work of everyone involved with the horse.”
Sottsass, who is the first of the heavyweight trio remaining in training to have contested the Arc, now has the jump on Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) with the latter due to return in Wednesday's G1 Prince of Wales's S. and the Juddmonte queen set to reappear in next month's G1 Eclipse S. It may be that their paths will cross again only in that autumn showcase, with Sottsass likely to be still some way short of his peak despite becoming only the third colt in recent history to come back from Jockey-Club victory and win this.
Starlet's Sister (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) has proven a revelation, producing three group winners from as many foals and two at the highest level including the four-times grade I-winning Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}). The second dam is the G3 Prix Chloe runner-up Premiere Creation (Fr) (Green Tune), who also threw Starlet's Sister's G3 Prix Cleopatre-winning full-sibling Leo's Starlet (Ire) and the Listed Prix Isonomy scorer and GI Clement L. Hirsch S. runner-up Anabaa's Creation (Ire) (Anabaa). Starlet's Sister's as-yet unraced 3-year-old colt Radiant Child (Ire) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) cost Oceanic Bloodstock €400,000 at the 2018 Arqana August Sale, while her 2-year-old son of Fastnet Rock (Aus) named Parliament (GB) was a €700,000 purchase by David Redvers at last year's edition of that auction. Her yearling filly is by Dubawi (Ire).
Sunday, Chantilly, France
PRIX GANAY-G1, €180,000, Chantilly, 6-14, 4yo/up, 10 1/2fT, 2:06.38, g/s.
1–SOTTSASS (FR), 128, c, 4, by Siyouni (Fr)
1st Dam: Starlet's Sister (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Premiere Creation (Fr), by Green Tune
3rd Dam: Allwaki, by Miswaki
(€340,000 Ylg '17 ARAUG). O-White Birch Farm; B-Ecurie des Monceaux (FR); T-Jean-Claude Rouget; J-Cristian Demuro. €103,852. Lifetime Record: 9-5-0-1, €1,659,552. *1/2 to Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}), Ch. Turf Female-US, MGISW-US, GSW & G1SP-Fr, $3,662,003; and My Sister Nat (Fr) (Acclamation {GB}), GSW-Fr & GSP-US, $209,172. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Way To Paris (GB), 128, h, 7, Champs Elysees (GB)–Grey Way, by Cozzene. (50,000gns Ylg '14 TATOCT). O-Paolo Ferrario; B-Grundy Bloodstock Ltd (GB); T-Andrea Marcialis. €41,148.
3–Shaman (Ire), 128, c, 4, Shamardal–Only Green (Ire), by Green Desert. O/B-Wertheimer & Frere (IRE); T-Carlos Laffon-Parias. €20,574.
Margins: HD, 3, NK. Odds: 1.00, 2.40, 2.90.
Also Ran: Palomba (Ire), Simona (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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