11 July 2020
Photos scoopdyga.com
Shortened for the first time last year from 8 to 7 furlongs, the Qatar Prix Jean Prat (Gr1) was then won by Too Darn Hot, who had finished his 2-year-old unbeaten season with a win in the Dewhurst Stakes (Gr1 ), but had proved unable to win again at 3. Back in winning ways on the Deauville straight, he would confirm in the Sussex Stakes (Gr1), over the Goodwood mile, before entering stud prematurely.
The situation of the favourite of this 60th edition, Pinatubo (Shamardal), is comparable to that of Too darn hot last season before his Deauville win. Undefeated at 2, winner of two Group 1 races in Ireland and England, the Godolphin-owned colt, however, finished only third in the Two Thousand Guineas (Gr1) in June at Newmarket, then second in the St. James's Palace Stakes (Gr1). He therefore runs at Deauville for his redemption, too, against ten very serious opponents, including the French import from Germany Alson (Areion) who, like Pinatubo, won a Group 1 at 2 years and was beaten for his return to competition this season.
- 1. MOLATHAM (c3, GB by Night of Thunder and Cantal, by Pivotal) Rating: 111lbs
Trained in Great Britain, bought £ 160,000 at the Newmarket sales, he took fourth place in the Autumn Stakes (Gr3) over one mile after winning twice over 7 furlongs then one mile, he won brilliantly for his return to the Jersey Stakes (Gr3), over 7 furlongs at the Royal Ascot meeting.
- 2. WOODED (c3, IRE by Wootton Bassett and Frida La Blonde, by Elusive City) Rating: 110lbs
Trained in Chantilly, bought for € 90,000 at the Deauville yearling sales, he started with a second place in Dieppe at 2, beaten by a short neck, and won immediately at Deauville over 7 furlongs. Placed in the La Rochette (Gr3) and the Thomas Bryon (Gr3), he won easily for his return over 6 furlongs in the Prix Texanita (Gr3) then was declared a non-starter due to the softer ground in the Commonwealth Cup (Gr1), again over 6 furlongs, at the Royal Ascot meeting.
- 3. ALSON (c3, GER by Areion and Assisi, by Galileo) Rating: 111lbs
Now trained in Chantilly, bred in Germany by his owners, he was trained last year in his native country by Jean-Pierre Carvalho. It was, however, in France that he showed his best. Second in the Qatar Jean-Luc Lagardère (Gr1), he easily won a duel in the Critérium International (Gr1), at ParisLongchamp, by twenty lengths!
Before these two leading performances in Paris, Alson won the first Group 3 of his career, the Zukunfts-Rennen (Gr3), in Baden-Baden on September 2. Alson had already run twice in France, winning, in particular, a class 2 race at Clairefontaine on August 9. This brother to the classic Ancient Spirit (Invincible Spirit) is out of Assisi (Galileo), winner of two races at only 4 but herself out of the German Oaks winner Amarette (Monsun).
For his return to France, he took an excellent third place in the French 2,000 Guineas (Gr1).
- 4. LOPE Y FERNANDEZ (c3, IRE by Lope de Vega and Black Dahlia, by Dansili) Rating: 110lbs
Trained in Ireland, bought € 900,000 at the Deauville sales, he was beaten twice by Pinatubo last year but won his Group 3 over 6 furlongs before being clearly beaten by Earthlight in sixth place in the Middle Park Stakes (Gr1).
Third for his return to the Irish Two Thousand Guineas (Gr1), he finished only eleventh in the 6 furlongs of the Commonwealth Cup (Gr1).
- 5. PINATUBO (c3, IRE by Shamardal and Lava Flow, by Dalakhani) Rating: 120lbs
Trained in England, bred by his owner, he won his six races at age 2, including two Group 1s over 7 furlongs by nine and two lengths.
Favourite for his return in the Two Thousand Guineas (Gr1) in Newmarket, he finished only third and failed to win again two weeks later in the St James's Palace Stakes (Gr1) at the royal meeting of Ascot over one mile, nevertheless beating Arizona.
- 6. WELL OF WISDOM (c3, GB by Oasis Dream and Alessandria, by Sunday Silence) Rating: 108lbs
Trained in England, bred by his owner, he won his first good race at 2 in the Prix Roland de Chambure (L) over 7 furlongs at ParisLongchamp. Second four lengths behind Earthlight after that, then two lengths behind Alson in the Zukunfts-Rennen (Gr3) in Baden-Baden on September 2, he wintered in Meydan. Well beaten there for his comeback, he won shortly after and only reappeared in June, narrowly winning in a handicap at Sandown over 7 furlongs.
- 7. KENWAY (c3, FRA by Galiway and Kendam, by Kendargent) Rating: 110lbs
Trained in Provence, sold for € 56,000 at the Deauville sales, he ran eleven times, including seven at two, winning three times that season. Winner of the Jouvenceaux & Jouvencelles (L) in Vichy, then of the La Rochette (Gr3) at ParisLongchamp, he, however, failed in the Lagardère (Gr1), and then in the Omnium II (L). In the Prix de Fontainebleau (Gr3), on the other hand, he finished well in fourth place, just a short head behind the favourite, Victor Ludorum, and did well when fifth in the French 2,000 Guineas (Gr1). He has just finished second place in the Longines Prix Paul de Moussac (Gr1) and is back on a shorter distance over which he is unbeaten in two outings at 2 when he notably beat Wooded.
- 8. ARIZONA (c3, IRE by No Nay Never and Lady Ederle, by English Channel) Rating: 112lbs
Trained in Ireland, bought € 260,000 at the Deauville sales, he won his second and third race, winning a half-length in the Conventry Stakes (Gr3) over 6 furlongs at the Royal Ascot meeting. Beaten by Earthlight then, then twice by Pinatubo, he ended up taking a fifth place in a Breeders ’Cup at Santa Anita.
Eleventh in the 2,000 Guineas (Gr1) for his return, he finished sixth then in the St.James’s Palace Stakes (Gr1) at the royal meeting of Ascot over one mile.
- 9. KINROSS (c3, GB by Kingman and Ceilidh, by Selkirk) Rating: 105lbs
Trained in England, he ran only three times. He won over 7 furlongs at Newmarket for his debut, then finished fifth in the Vertem Futurity Stakes (Gr1) on the Newcastle all-weather.
He finished sixth for his return in the Two Thousand Guineas (Gr1) over one mile in Newmarket.
- 10. MALOTRU (c3, GB by Casamento and Magica, by Dubawi) Rating: 107lbs
Trained in England, he won his first two races including the Premio Primi Passi (Gr3) in Italy over 6 furlongs. Well beaten twice then in Great Britain, he made his comeback in February on the Lingfield all-weather, where he won easily before finishing second, again on an all-weather track, at Newcastle in a Group 3 run over 6 furlongs.
- 11. TROPBEAU (f3, GB by Showcasing and Frangipanni, by Dansili) Rating: 108lbs
Trained in Chantilly, bought for € 180,000 at the breeze-up sales in Deauville, she started with a sixth place but immediately won at Clairefontaine, then in the Six Perfections Sky Sports Racing (Gr3), and again in the Shadwell Prix du Calvados (Gr2) before taking a third place in the Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes (Gr1) at Newmarket.
For her comeback in the Prix de la Grotte (Gr3), the French 1,000 Guineas prep race, she won by half a length but cosily. In the French classic, however, she had to settle for fourth place, possibly because she couldn’t quite stay the mile.