With the returning Cirrus des Aigles a victim of his own freshness in
Sunday’s Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, a “Win and You’re In” test for the Breeders’ Cup
Turf,
the 1 1/2-mile race was left wide open, and the talented German raider Novellist took full
advantage to add another success in a top-level French contest to his country’s
tally after Pastorius captured the Group 1 Prix Ganay two
months ago.
Helped by the pace set by Lateran Accord, Novellist settled in fourth within
shouting distance of the free-wheeling Cirrus des Aigles. Moving through a gap
opened up by the sideways maneuver of his rabbit on the final turn, the Monsun
four-year-old tackled
the favorite in early stretch and quickly had his measure as the petrol gauge
was close to reading empty on the returning champion. Asserting after the
quarter-pole, the homebred Novellist was beyond recall by the time Dunaden emerged with
his customary belated effort.
Connections of the winner are considering a tilt
at Ascot’s Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes on July 27.
“Last year, he was
not quite himself in the Derby, and the Grosser Preis von Baden was a strangely
run race after which he had an allergy the next day,” trainer Andreas Wohler
explained. “He finished the season well, and I was very pleased with his
comeback run.
“We will consider the King George if he is well and later on, the
Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (at Longchamp on October 6) is the target.”
It was Pastorius that Novellist found too tough to handle in the Group 1 Deutsches Derby at Hamburg last July, after looking to seal his position as the
leading domestic three-year-old beforehand. Only fourth in the Group 1 Grosser Preis von
Baden in September, the bay then traveled to the San Siro to annex the Group 1 Gran Premio
del Jockey Club Italiano in October and signed off on the season there. He was back
with a workmanlike win under a penalty in the Group 2 Grosser Preis der
Badischen Unternehmer going 11 furlongs on May 12.
Dunaden, who is
also being aimed at the Arc, is due a break beforehand, according to
connections.
“He traveled well, but didn’t have his usual kick and is maybe a
little tired after a heavy campaign in the early part of the year,” the owner’s
Racing Manager David Redvers said. “He will come back after a nice summer off
with the Arc in mind.”
Haya Landa finished third on Sunday, a length behind Dunaden on the wire.
“Once again,
she has run a very good race, and the ground is the key to her, as the softer
the better,” conditioner Loic Audon said. “Depending on that, she could go for the Group 2 Grand Prix de Deauville
(on August 25) or the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Baden (on September 1).”
Earlier on the Sunday card at Saint-Cloud, Pacific Rim entered the Group 2
Prix de Malleret a bit light on experience and boasting no black-type form but emerged with the laurels in a tactical affair in which she was ideally placed by
Umberto Rispoli.
Settled close to the steady pace in a stalking role, the
Singspiel homebred was committed passing the quarter-pole and soon held a decisive
advantage, as she was pushed out to score in comfortable fashion.
“She was not
with me last year and is obviously a late-maturing filly who won very well last
time and had improved since,” trainer Mikel Delzangles said. “She had a very
good trip today and showed nice acceleration, so will step up in class now. The
Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks (on August 22) may come too soon for her, so the Group 1 Prix Vermeille
(at Longchamp on September 15) is probably more of a target.
Pacific Rim started out with a fourth going 10 furlongs at Longchamp on April 14 before breaking her maiden over
Sunday’s 12-furlong trip at Maisons-Laffitte on
May 22 and adding a conditions race at Longchamp last out on June 10.
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