5 November 2023
Photo scoopdyga.com
Sunday, November 5, 2023, Deauville-La Touques Racecourse (Calvados). - Fast Raaj (Iffraaj), the favourite in the €52,000 Irish River (Listed), the first leg and the inaugural event of the Polytrack Challenge, demonstrated significant superiority over the 7 furlongs Polytrack route. Owned by Alain Jathière, Écurie du Parc Monceau, Haras d’Étreham, trainer Yann Barberot, and Riviera Equine, Fast Raaj made his move going into the straight in the middle of the track and quickly took over, winning by a length over the race's second favourite, Siam Paragon (Shalaa), who ran true to form. Breizh Eagle (Bow Creek) finished third, two lengths behind.
Fast Raaj's connections can now compete for the €30,000 bonus offered to horses that accumulate the most points in the three events that make up the two parallel circuits of the Polytrack Challenge: the speed section, of which the Prix Irish River is the first stage, and the classic section, which begins on November 28 over 1 mile and 3 furlongs in the Prix Lyphard (Listed), also at Deauville (click here to access the Polytrack Challenge's page).
Aged five and gelded in September 2022, Fast Raaj raced for the 22nd time in his career, which has already been full of twists and turns. After winning the Prix Djebel (Gr3) over 7 furlongs in April 2021, he struggled at a higher level before returning to victory in autumn in conditions races over 6.5 furlongs. He faced defeat several times the following year but once again won two races in the autumn, this time at the Listed level, before embarking on a winter campaign in Meydan that did not yield results. Returning to France after a four-month break, he won the Grand Prix Anjou-Bretagne – Haras du Saz (Listed) over the mile in Nantes before confirming his form in the Prix Messidor (Gr3) in July at Chantilly. Despite two defeats over the mile this autumn in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (Gr1) and the Prix Daniel Wildenstein (Gr2), he gave 2.5 kg in the Irish River.
With his sixth win on Polytrack in eight outings on the surface in France (he was also defeated once on the sand in Dubai), Fast Raaj established himself as one of the best French sprinters on Polytrack.
Fast Raaj was bred by Haras d’Étreham, Riviera Equine, and Philippe Lazare's Écurie du Parc Monceau, who remain his co-owners. He was entered in the Deauville sales in 2020 but was withdrawn.
He is the second foal out of Interesting (Raven’s Pass), a Darley graduate who, under the guidance of Henri-Alex Pantall, finished second in the Prix Eclipse (Gr3) at two behind the future stallion Penny’s Picnic and only raced once at 3. Interesting was purchased for €300,000 at the breeding sales by Haras d’Étreham, in foal to… Iffraaj, and then gave Fast Raaj. Her dam, With Fascination (Dayjur), was one of the best 2-year-olds in Europe in 1995.