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Son Of Iffraaj Best In the Djebel

Sharpened by a return fourth in the 6 1/2-furlong Listed Prix Montenica on Chantilly's Polytrack Mar. 18, Fast Raaj (Fr) (Iffraaj {GB}) made that fitness edge count in Thursday's G3 Prix Djebel at Deauville. Racing for a partnership between Ecurie du Parc Monceau, Haras d'Etreham, Riviera Equine S.A.R.L and trainer Yann Barberot, the bay who had won here over 7 1/2 furlongs again on the Polytrack in October was anchored in a share of last off the strong early tempo alongside one of the other colts who had enjoyed an outing in 2021, Godolphin's Pimento (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}). While that rival moved first, Fast Raaj was delivered wide on the track by Gregory Benoist and proved to have the smarter turn of foot to gain the advantage with a furlong remaining. Pressed by the Fabre trainee all the way to the line, the 11-1 shot was always holding him to score by a neck, with the Listed Prix Zeddaan winner Prince Lancelot (GB) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) faring best of the seasonal debutantes three lengths away in third. “This race was his target and I think the race he had last time left him perfect for today,” Barberot said. “He had broken a shade slowly on that occasion and Gregory did not want to give him a hard race as I wanted him in great form for this. He finished very well there and so I was quite confident he would run well today. The strong rhythm in the race helped him and the jockey told me that he was more relaxed behind the gates than he is usually, so I have to be confident he can stay a mile. He'll run next in the [G1 Poule d'Essai des] Poulains [at ParisLongchamp May 16].”

Fast Raaj's dam Interesting (Ire) (Raven's Pass) was runner-up to Penny's Picnic (Ire) (Kheleyf) in the 2012 G3 Prix Eclipse as a juvenile for the Henri-Alex Pantall stable prior to joining Tommy Albertrani with little success. Bought by Haras d'Etreham for €300,000 out of the Godolphin draft at the 2017 Arqana December Mares Sale, she has a 2-year-old filly by the Stud's Almanzor (Fr) to come. A daughter of the G3 Prix de Cabourg scorer and G1 Prix Morny and G1 Prix de la Salamandre runner-up With Fascination (Dayjur) and granddaughter of the GI Santa Susana S., GI Hollywood Oaks and GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Fran's Valentine (Saros {GB}), she is therefore connected to the multiple top-level-winning pair With Anticipation (Relaunch) and Mr Stunning (Aus) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}).

Thursday, Deauville, France
PRIX DJEBEL-G3, €80,000, Deauville, 4-8, 3yo, c/g, 7fT, 1:25.29, gd.
1–FAST RAAJ (FR), 128, c, 3, by Iffraaj (GB)
1st Dam: Interesting (Ire) (GSP-Fr), by Raven's Pass
2nd Dam: With Fascination, by Dayjur
3rd Dam: Fran's Valentine, by Saros (GB)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Ecurie du Parc Monceau, Yann Barberot, Haras d'Etreham & Riviera Equine SARL; B-Haras d'Etreham, Riviera Equine SARL & Ecurie du Parc Monceau (FR); T-Yann Barberot; J-Gregory Benoist. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 4-2-1-0, €65,660. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Pimento (GB), 128, c, 3, Iffraaj (GB)–Chili Dip (GB), by Alhaarth (Ire). (22,000gns Wlg '18 TATFOA; 115,000gns Ylg '19 TAOCT). O-Godolphin SNC; B-Alan Parker & New England Stud Farm Ltd (GB); T-Andre Fabre. €16,000.
3–Prince Lancelot (GB), 128, c, 3, Sir Prancealot (Ire)–Rainbow Vale (Fr), by Moss Vale (Ire). (€90,000 Ylg '19 ARAUG). O-Antoine Gilibert & Fabrice Chappet; B-Ecurie Skymarc Farm (GB); T-Fabrice Chappet. €12,000.
Margins: NK, 3, HD. Odds: 11.60, 3.10, 9.00.
Also Ran: Normandy Bridge (Fr), Crowdfunding (Fr), Go Athletico (Fr), Midlife Crisis (Fr), Esope (Fr). Scratched: Sotoro (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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Lord Grimthorpe To Leave Juddmonte

Lord (Teddy) Grimthorpe, who has for 22 years served as racing manager for Juddmonte, will stand down from that position after this year's Royal Ascot meeting. Prince Khalid Abdullah, who founded Juddmonte and began racing horses more than 40 years ago, died aged 84 on Jan. 12.

Since taking up the role in 1999, Grimthorpe has worked with 24 European trainers and overseen 3000 horses in training. Of those, 1400 won over 2400 races, including almost 100 Group 1 wins. The list of champion Grimthorpe was involved with includes Enable (GB), Frankel (GB), Banks Hill (GB), Rail Link (GB), Special Duty (GB), Workforce (GB), Twice Over (GB), Midday (GB), Oasis Dream (GB) and Kingman (GB). After Khalid Abdullah's death, Juddmonte Chief Executive Douglas Erskine Crum said the prince's family was “very committed to keeping Juddmonte as it is going.”

Grimthorpe, who currently serves as deputy senior steward of The Jockey Club and is on the York Racecourse board after nine years as chairman there, said, “I have always felt that the time for me to stand down from Juddmonte would be when Prince Khalid was no longer involved. It has been a huge privilege to work for the Prince and his family, and with the outstanding Juddmonte team, which has been so successful for so long. Of course I am sad to leave, but, with the Prince's death two months ago and over 20 years as his racing manager, now is the right time.

“I leave an organisation in great shape which is supreme at what it does, and I have no doubt Juddmonte will continue to thrive and produce top-class homebred Thoroughbred horses competing at the highest level on racecourses across the world.”

Prior to his appointment with Juddmonte, Grimthorpe worked for the British Bloodstock Agency for more than 20 years. He said he plans to stay involved in the Thoroughbred industry.

“I've just had the most tremendous time,” he said. “It's been an absolute honour and privilege to have worked for Prince Khalid and his family. This just seemed right. I still want to remain active in the industry, and there are some things I want to pursue back in Yorkshire. Life will go on. Obviously I've given it a great deal of thought and I haven't taken the decision lightly. I've been unbelievably lucky, I really have.”

Grimthorpe nominated two standouts among the many champions he has been involved with at Juddmonte.

“When Prince Khalid died and we looked back at the big moments, there were so many extraordinary horses who had won serious Group 1 races who hardly got a mention,” he said. “I think in terms of special moments, though, Frankel looms over everything. Seeing him develop, Sir Henry [Cecil] became a very close friend, as did all the Juddmonte trainers, but it was just the story around Frankel with how ill Henry was.

“Obviously I'm biased, but the day at York with him [the Juddmonte International] was very special–it was a day a lot of people remember. Prince Khalid was there, Henry was very ill, and the crowd were beyond belief. I was waiting for Prince Khalid to arrive–and normally at York when there is a big crowd a lot of it is coaches–but this wasn't, this was a case of people getting in their car to go and see the horse. I've never seen the paddock as crowded–it was like Cheltenham–and of course his his performance was outstanding. People still come up to me to talk about that day.

“Then of course, we've had Enable the last few years. She had the most remarkable personality, and her relationship with Frankie [Dettori] was something special too, which all added to the story.”

Erskine Crum thanked Grimthorpe for his service, saying, “On behalf of Prince Khalid's family and all of us past and present at Juddmonte, I thank Teddy for all he has done to help the organisation be at the very top of its game year after year. He will be sorely missed and we wish him the very best of good fortune for the future.”

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Demercastel Joins I Want The Winner

Camille Demercastel has joined online sales platform I Want The Winner as communication and marketing manager. Demercastel grew up going racing in France and as well as working in the e-commerce sector, she spent a year at Lane's End Farm in Kentucky.

Demercastel will work on development of I Want The Winner's online platform, implement communication strategy and be the point of contact for clientele on use of the tool.

“I'm delighted to be part of this innovative project which aims to accentuate the savoir faire of all the professionals within a sport that I really enjoy,” said Demercastel. “I was wowed by the team's vision of integrity, clarity and transparency; I'm convinced that these will prove to be necessary ingredients for the success of this new sales tool.”

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Laurens Foals Invincible Spirit Colt

Laurens (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), a winner of six Group 1 races, has produced a colt by Invincible Spirit (Ire) as her first foal, owner John Dance announced via Twitter Tuesday morning. Successful in the G1 Fillies' Mile at two, she will visit Kingman (GB) in 2021. The bay is also a winner of the G1 Prix Saint-Alary, G1 Prix de Diane, G1 Matron S., G1 Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot S. and G1 Prix Rothschild. It was announced last January that Laurens would visit the Irish National Stud stalwart, having been originally penciled in for Coolmore Stud's No Nay Never.

“So….he finally arrived, Invincible Spirit x Laurens,” tweeted Dance. “What a stunner.”

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