Spiritjim nails Mission at wire in Grand Prix de
Saint-Cloud
On a roll this term against lesser opposition, Spiritjim put on a late show
to topple Noble Mission in a dramatic finale in Sunday’s Group 1 Grand Prix de
Saint-Cloud, and prove he belongs at the top table.
Drafting Noble Mission initially under Christophe-Patrice Lemaire as James
Doyle sent Juddmonte’s revived front-runner into a three-length advantage, the
contest looked sealed, and there was still that margin between the pair with a
furlong remaining. Undeterred, Lemaire asked for more from his mount, and he
responded by knuckling down as Noble Mission began to tread water close to home,
and duly nailed him on the line. Siljan’s Saga grabbed third.
“He is such a tough and courageous horse who has done nothing wrong this
year,” trainer Pascal Bary commented. “We are all very happy he has his Group 1
now, and I imagine he’ll have a break before coming back for the Prix Foy (at
Longchamp September 14) with the Arc in mind.”
Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for Noble Mission’s owner Khalid Abdullah,
said of the runner-up, “He has run a good race, but probably didn’t quite stay
the 1 1/2 miles.”
Taking time to mature at three, Spiritjim managed a sixth in the Prix Niel at
Longchamp in September and, with the Arc off the agenda, rounded off his
sophomore campaign with a first black-type win in the Prix Vulcain over 1 9/16
miles at Deauville in late October. Returning in the same vein, he added the
12-furlong Prix Lord Seymour to his tally at Longchamp April 17 before embarking
on the group race trail once more.
Showing how much he had developed since taking part in the Arc trial the
previous fall, he led from pillar-to-post under Christophe Soumillon to annex
the Prix d’Hedouville back over that track and trip May 8, and repeated the dose
in the June 1 Grand Prix de Chantilly. While that day’s races were notable for a
front-running bias, Spiritjim still recorded a fast time, and proved Sunday that
leading is not essential.
Also at Saint-Cloud, the Aga Khan’s homebred Dolniya extended her winning
streak to three in the Group 2 Prix de Malleret. Second to Savanne on debut over
10 1/2 furlongs on Chantilly’s Polytrack April 28, Dolniya went one better
stepped up to 12 1/2 furlongs at Maisons-Laffitte May 17 before dropping
back to win the 10-furlong Prix Melisande at Compiegne June 6.
Settled with one behind early here by Christophe Soumillon, the bay was
delivered wide in the stretch and, after rolling to the front with 300 meters
remaining, appeared to idle and allow Savanne and Lavender Lane to close in.
“She is a very nice filly who has been improving with every run, but we’ll
probably give her a break now and wait for the autumn,” the Aga Khan’s Racing
Manager Georges Rimaud commented. “She will probably be aimed at the Prix
Vermeille (at Longchamp September 14).”
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