There was a surprise in store in Sunday's G1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains as Jaber Abdullah's Marhaba Ya Sanafi (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}–Danega {GB}, by Galileo {Ire}) edged out Isaac Shelby (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) to provide his owner-breeder and trainer Andreas Schutz with a red-letter day at ParisLongchamp. Sitting handy in fourth early under Mickael Barzalona, the relative of Galileo's luminary Soldier Of Fortune (Ire) who was second to American Flag (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in the course-and-distance G3 Prix de Fontainebleau last month surrendered first run to Isaac Shelby in the straight. Wearing down that rival inside the last 75 metres, the 26-1 shot asserted for a short-neck success, with TDN Rising Star Breizh Sky (Fr) (Pedro The Great) two lengths away in third.
The 3-5 favourite American Flag had no excuses in fifth in a renewal cut to nine after KHK Racing's TDN Rising Star Knight (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) was a withdrawal at the start. “We were hoping to finish in the first five, so to win is unbelievable,” Schutz said. “I was also hoping for more rain. He had worked well in the company of my other horses, but I don't necessarily have much to go on. I have been in France for seven years now and I hope that this victory will mark a new turning point in my career. I need to speak to the jockey and the owner, but he's in the [G1 Prix du] Jockey Club and that looks like the most logical target.”
Confined to maiden and conditions events prior to the Fontainebleau, Marhaba Ya Sanafi made his debut over nine furlongs here in October and followed a fourth there with a win at a mile on Chantilly's Polytrack the following month. Back with another win over that same course, distance and surface when nosing out the Fabrice Chappet-trained Bless (Fr) (Toronado {Ire}) in March, the bay didn't appear to have any excuses as American Flag rushed by late in his first black-type test and was understandably overlooked. Finding improvement as the Fontainebleau winner possibly under-performed, his inherent stamina was telling late on as Isaac Shelby stepped beyond seven furlongs for the first time.
Brian Meehan said of the runner-up, “We were a bit frustrated by the lack of pace, especially in the first part of the race. He hasn't shown the full extent of his talent yet. The best is yet to come, especially in races where there will be more pace. We are thinking of Royal Ascot, and in particular the St James's Palace Stakes.” Alessandro Botti is also bound for the Royal meeting with Breizh Sky. “My horse ran on well, but I think the draw maybe cost us a better placing,” he said. “I don't think he will stay further and the [G3] Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot will be next.”
Pedigree Notes
Marhaba Ya Sanafi becomes the second top-level and 10th group winner for his sire, whose progeny show a marked preference for this type of testing ground. The unraced dam, who is also responsible for a 2-year-old filly by Acclamation (GB), was a 58,000gns purchase by Rabbah Bloodstock at the 2016 Tatts December Sale but has already been re-sold as Duncan McGregor presciently snapped up a bargain at €16,000 at the most recent edition of Goffs November. Danega hails from a distinguished Jim Bolger family which features the aforementioned G1 Irish Derby hero Soldier Of Fortune and the G1 Gran Criterium winner and Irish Derby runner-up and successful jumps sire Sholokhov (Ire) (Sadler's Wells).
The second dam is the G3 Noblesse S. winner and G2 Lancashire Oaks runner-up Danelissima (Ire) (Danehill), who produced the G3 Ballysax S. runner-up Fergus McIver (Ire) by Sadler's Wells and is a full-sister to the G3 Railway S.-placed Daneleta (Ire). She is in turn responsible for Bolger's G1 Dewhurst S.-winning sire Intense Focus (Giant's Causeway) and is the ancestress of the G1 Moyglare Stud S. heroine Skitter Scatter (Scat Daddy) and last year's G3 Flame of Tara S. scorer Aspen Grove (Ire) (Justify) and Listed Washington Singer S. winner Victory Dance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}).
Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
EMIRATES POULE D'ESSAI DES POULAINS-G1, €650,000, ParisLongchamp, 5-14, 3yo, c, 8fT, 1:38.56, vsf.
1–MARHABA YA SANAFI (IRE), 128, c, 3, by Muhaarar (GB)
1st Dam: Danega (GB), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Danelissima (Ire), by Danehill
3rd Dam: Zavaleta (Ire), by Kahyasi (Ire)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Jaber Abdullah; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Andreas Schutz; J-Mickael Barzalona. €371,410. Lifetime Record: 5-3-1-0, €417,610. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Isaac Shelby (GB), 128, c, 3, Night Of Thunder (Ire)–Kentucky Belle (Ire), by Heliostatic (Ire). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (£92,000 Ylg '21 GOFFUK). O-Wathnan Racing; B-Elaine Chivers (GB); T-Brian Meehan. €148,590.
3–Breizh Sky (Fr), 128, c, 3, Pedro The Great–Anna Danse (Fr), by Anabaa. (€14,000 RNA Ylg '21 ARAUG). O-Alain Jathiere, Louis Baudron, Alessandro Botti, Giuseppe Botti & Ecurie Elag; B-Haras des Evees, Daniel Cherdo & Mme Claudie Cherdo (FR); T-Alessandro & Giuseppe Botti. €74,295.
Margins: SNK, 2, HD. Odds: 26.20, 4.40, 27.00.
Also Ran: Valimi (Fr), American Flag (Fr), Good Guess (GB), Kubrick (Ire), Hans Andersen (GB), Kendly (Fr). Scratched: Knight (Ire). Video, sponsored by TVG.
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A 33/1 shock in the French 2000 Guineas!