3 September 2021
Photo scoopdyga.com
Thursday, September 2, 2021, ParisLongchamp Racecourse (Paris). - Claimed after a mile win, Esope (Galiway) dramatically improved over longer distances. In the Prix de Lutèce (Gr3), he gave Hiro Shimizu, his Japanese trainer based in Chantilly, his first Group victory. Ridden aggressively, Esope went ahead on the bit straight from the start. Ears pointed forward, he led Tides of War (Galileo) and the favourite Darzan (Le Havre) on the outside, but the latter faded as soon as the race was really on. Esope, on the other hand, had set a good pace for his first tilt over 15 furlongs, and yet accelerated again in the final stages, keeping her rivals at bay. Tides of War finished second at a length and a half, Gabello (Galiway) third at a short head. Race time was 3'23''23.
Haras de Colleville's Galiway (Galileo), sire of the winner and the third-placed in this Group 3, can boast amazing statistics this season. In 2021, two-thirds of its starters made the frame.
Esope is the 3rd Group winner by Galiway after Sealiway and Gregolimo.
Almost a year ago, the Saint-Cloud ballot box was full of bids: no less than 38 had been slipped in to claim Esope after his win. His claiming tag had been set at €11,000 and had exploded. Hiro Shimizu had the last word with €50,000 bulletin ...
Seven months later, Esope reappeared as a pacemaker for a stablemate at 3S Race Horse Management AG in the Prix Djebel (Gr3). Yet, he never played that part again. Gradually lengthened, as his pedigree suggested he could be, being by Galiway (Galileo) out of Polemique (Poliglote), a mare bred by the Wertheimers who had been bought for € 32,000 by David Powell for Magalen Bryant at the Arqana breeding sales. Polemique did run over jumps without ever winning and again entered the Arqana ring, only to be bought for €7,000 by the FIPS agency at the end of 2012.