Recently purchased by Sheikh Joaan Al Thani, the Poule d’Essai des Poulains
winner Style Vendome takes center stage Sunday in the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat at
Chantilly.
Backing up his previous success in the Prix Djebel over seven furlongs at
Maisons-Laffitte April 4, the gray had the subsequent Prix du Jockey-Club hero
Intello and Jersey Stakes winner Gale Force Ten behind in the May 12 Longchamp
classic and holds pole position in this final Group 1 race of the year open to
just the three-year-olds.
Nicolas Clement, who has trained three winners of this prize already, told PA
Sport, “I have been very pleased with his preparation and we have put a
pacemaker in the race to ensure there is a strong pace. I am very happy with the
horse. It is hard to judge whether he has improved since the French Guineas, but
condition-wise, he looks a picture.
“It is a nice field. We hope for a clear run and we will see what happens.
After, this hopefully he will take on older horses in the obvious races.”
Also behind Style Vendome in the mile classic was Havana Gold, who looked the
likely winner at one point before fading to fifth, just under a length in
arrears. He has subsequently finished fourth in Irish Two Thousand Guineas and
has one of these races in him.
“Havana Gold certainly deserves to win a big one,” Richard Hannon Jr. said.
“He ran a super race in the French Two Thousand Guineas and again in Ireland,
but we felt that he would have more chance of hitting the jackpot here than he
might have had at Royal Ascot.”
Anodin was another who failed to hit the board at Longchamp, but the brother
to Goldikova has since won the Prix Paul de Moussac over this track and trip
June 8, where he made all to account for San Marino Grey by a length. He is
aided by two pacemakers this time, so a strong pace looks assured, which will
also help Lines of Battle.
The latter stays farther than this mile, as he proved when successful in the
U.A.E. Derby over 1 3/16 miles on Meydan’s Tapeta. Not disgraced when
seventh in the Kentucky Derby, he subsequently finished second to Trading
Leather in the Silver Stakes over 10 furlongs at The Curragh June 9.
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