G1 ARC Prix Maurice de Gheest

Maintaining his unbeaten sequence in style, Nurlan Bizakov's Lazzat (Fr) (Territories {Ire}) proved the slight drop in trip to be no problem as he dominated Sunday's G1 ARC Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville. Having captured the seven-furlong G3 Prix Djebel here in April and the G3 Prix Paul de Moussac at Longchamp in June, the Jerome Reynier-trained homebred had a question to answer taking on the pure sprinters over this niche 6 1/2-furlong distance but travelled equally as strongly as them all from the outset. Looming on the front...

Sunday's €380,000 G1 ARC Prix Maurice de Gheest shares this weekend's European top billing with Dusseldorf's 166th G1 Henkel-Preis der Diana (German Oaks) and, while the field for that Classic was finalised on Wednesday, declarations for the Deauville highlight were not confirmed until Friday morning. There were no defectors from the overnight set of 16 nominees as all main characters--G1 Prix Jean Prat victor Puchkine (Fr) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), G1 July Cup hero Mill Stream (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire} and dual G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes winner Khaadem (Ire) (Dark Angel...

Nicolas Caullery trainee King Gold (Fr) (Anodin {Ire}--Miss Gandelia {Fr}, by Kingsalsa) made a breakthrough at black-type level with a first such victory in June's G3 Prix de la Porte Maillot at ParisLongchamp when last seen and made the leap forward to prevail in a thrilling renewal of Sunday's G1 Arc Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville. The 39-5 chance was alert from the gates before settling under cover off the pace with just one rival behind through halfway. Inching closer when nudged along passing the quarter-mile marker, he was...

Star sprinter Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) will return in the G2 Duke of York S. on May 13, following a similar path this year as her 2022 campaign, trainer John Quinn said. The 6-year-old Trainers House Enterprises homebred won last year's Duke of York before taking the G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest, the G1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe S. and the G1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Flying Five S. She has not run since finishing fourth in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland Nov. 5....

Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}--Pure Illusion {Ire}, by Danehill) had issued a warning to the sprinting ranks with a dynamic success in the May 11 G2 1895 Duke of York S. and the John Quinn-trained mare followed through at Deauville on Sunday when dominating the 6 1/2-furlong G1 ARC Prix Maurice de Gheest. Sixth but in the mix at the end of Royal Ascot's G1 Platinum Jubilee S. in the interim June 18, the 16-1 shot was full of energy early with Jason Hart keen to keep some...