France
Rayif surges to G1 Jacques Le Marois victory
By Sean Cronin, TDN Europe
Having fallen below expectations when fifth in last month's G1 Prix Jean Prat, the Francis Graffard-trained G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero Rayif (Sea The Moon) regained his aura with a late surge to double his Group 1 tally in Sunday's G1 The Aga Khan Studs Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville.
“It's a wonderful race to win, it's a very hard race to win and I'm delighted,” said Graffard.
“The Jacques Le Marois is a very famous race, probably second only to the Arc, so it's wonderful to win for the family of the Aga Khan. He won the Poulains on soft ground and everybody was saying he's a soft-ground horse, but you need to keep trying. He ran well (in the Jean Prat) the other day, but with excuses. He was in top form coming into the race, but you need the perfect trip and he had the perfect trip today. He travelled really well and picked up really nicely.
“When he got challenged, I was hoping he was going to maintain his advantage and he did. He was very tough at the end. He's a very smart horse and he's very laid back at home, but he knows what he's doing and he's very game. He's a lovely horse to be around.”
“When he (Rayif) got challenged, I was hoping he was going to maintain his advantage and he did. He was very tough at the end... He's a lovely horse to be around.” - Francis Graffard
Looking ahead, France's champion trainer continued, “It now depends on whether we take him to the (September 6 G1 Prix du) Moulin (at ParisLongchamp) or give him time. The (seven-furlong October 4 G1) Prix de la Foret (at ParisLongchamp) could be an option for him and I wouldn't be afraid to drop him back in distance. Ideally, the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot could be interesting, particularly because it is run on a straight course. If I had to set him one target for the end of the year, that would be it.”
The 53-10 chance found immediate cover after breaking on the wing and raced at the tail of the 10-runner field until beyond halfway in the straight one-mile feature.
Francis Graffard | Image courtesy of Graffard Racing
Shaken up to make inroads approaching the quarter-mile pole, he launched his challenge out wide entering the final furlong and ran on strongly under forceful urging thereafter to outpoint Zeus Olympios (Night Of Thunder) in game fashion.
Ballydoyle's G1 Irish 1000 Guineas and G1 Coronation Stakes heroine Precise (Starspangledbanner) could never quite get on terms, but kept on well to finish a half-length back in third, while the Japanese raiders Strauss (Maurice) and Sixpence (Kizuna) filled the last two spots home.
Shuttle sires Diego Velazquez (Ire), Charyn (Ire), and Palace Pier (Ire) are all recent victors of this race. Elite stallions Dubawi (Ire) and Kingman (GB) also feature on the honour’s board.
Pedigree: Rayif, one of his sire's six Group 1 winners, is the sixth of eight foals and leading performer out of the dual stakes-placed Rayisa (Holy Roman Emperor), herself a half-sister to G3 Athasi Stakes victrix Rehana (Dark Angel).
His second dam Rayka (Selkirk) is a half-sister to the Group 3-winning G1 Irish 2000 Guineas runner-up Rayeni (Indian Ridge). Rayif is a half-brother to the Group 3-winning G1 King Charles III Stakes runner-up and G1 Commonwealth Cup third Rayevka (Blue Point), a yearling colt by Vadeni and a weanling filly by Little Big Bear.
Ireland
Not sold, A Boy Named Susie keeps on winning
By Tom Frary, TDN Europe
Handed an ideal confidence booster on Sunday, the Eclipse runner-up A Boy Named Susie (Starspangledbanner) took advantage to register a first stakes win in The Curragh's G3 Newbridge Silverware Royal Whip. Earlier in the year, the 3-year-old colt had been rumoured to have been sold to Ciaron Maher Bloodstock, but the sale never materialised.
Sent off the 1-7 favourite for the 10-furlong feature, Ana O'Brien's colt who was also fourth in the Prix du Jockey Club stalked Ballydoyle's Charles Fort (St Mark's Basilica) before taking command two out. Pushed out to the line by Oisin Murphy, he had five lengths to spare there with Omni Man (Invincible Spirit) another 2.25 lengths away in third.
“That was just what we wanted, he quickened up nicely and put it to bed and Oisin was very happy with him,” Donnacha O'Brien said. “I thought he was quite impressive today. I know he beat horses that he's much better than, but he quickened up very well. Oisin is pretty confident that 10 furlongs is his trip for now. He's got a turn of foot, which I think will suit Leopardstown. We'll see how is obviously when he gets home, but I'd say the Irish Champion is probably most likely.”
“That was just what we wanted, he (A Boy Named Susie) quickened up nicely and put it to bed and Oisin was very happy with him.” - Donnacha O'Brien
Pedigree: A Boy Named Susie is out of the unraced Soho Susie (Montjeu), a half-sister to Acclamation's Richmond Stakes and July Stakes-winning sire Mehmas from the excellent family of the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and Prix de Diane heroine Avenir Certain (Le Havre) and the high-class half-siblings Warrsan (Caerleon) and Luso (Salse). Her 2-year-old filly by State Of Rest is named Meet Me In Heaven, while she also has a foal full sister to A Boy Named Susie to come.
