André Fabre has a live contender for the 2,000 Guineas, following a game success in the Prix Morny by Earthlight. It was a victory to cheer all of French racing, as it ends a run of summer Sundays on which the biggest races had consistently been won by British or Irish raiders.
The Morny had become a weak race for the home defence, as there had been just one French-trained winner in the previous 14 years and Fabre has not had this trophy on his mantelpiece since the days of Zafonic, back in 1992.
A strong raiding party, including three Royal Ascot winners, made the journey to Deauville but were sent away empty-handed as Earthlight stuck his head out and prevailed by a neck over Raffle Prize, with the rest well held.
Fabre scoffed at a suggestion that the chestnut might prove to be a specialist sprinter. “He will go further, he will be a Guineas horse for sure,” the trainer said on Sky Sports Racing.
Catterick
2.00 Schumli 2.30 Good Night Mr Tom 3.00 Night Law 3.30 Ahorsewithnoname 4.00 Chaplin Bay 4.30 Hippeia 5.00 I’ll Be Good 5.35 Tapis Libre (nb)
Lingfield
2.15 Zappiness 2.45 Scheme 3.15 Little Bird 3.45 Al Messila 4.15 Sloane Garden (nap) 4.45 Tarseekh 5.15 Aquadabra
Windsor
5.30 Foxy Femme 6.00 Skontonovski 6.30 Look Surprised 7.00 Perfect Refuge 7.30 Passion And Glory 8.00 Zoffee
Bangor
5.40 Carry On 6.10 Sue Be It 6.40 So Lonely 7.10 Silver Man 7.40 Montys Angel 8.10 Wise Coco
As to which country’s Guineas that would be, Fabre added: “I would favour Newmarket.” Fabre has won the English Classic twice, with Zafonic and Pennekamp, but the most recent of those will be 25 years ago by the time the Guineas rolls around in May. Having been a 25-1 shot for the race this May, Earthlight is now down to 12-1 with most firms.
Whether Newmarket is really the right target for Earthlight is a subject that high-ranking figures at Godolphin may be kicking around this winter.
After all, the same blue colours are carried by the 7-2 favourite Pinatubo, trained in the town by Charlie Appleby, and it might make more sense for the team to try winning two Classics rather than beating themselves on the Rowley Mile.
But Fabre has no doubts about the quality of his unbeaten two-year-old and suggested Earthlight might make an exploratory trip to Newmarket for the Dewhurst in October, if he recovers in time from this outing. “He’s a top class horse, obviously,” the trainer said.
Less pleasure radiated from Mark Johnston, trainer of the runner-up, who said: “Second sucks, as always,” and pointed out that his horses have been second in four Group Ones this year. Raffle Prize is likely to run next in the Cheveley Park Stakes next month.
British and Irish runners filled the next six places behind Earthlight, with Clive Cox’s Golden Horde third and Arizona in fourth, possibly unsuited by the soft ground.
Frankie Dettori, who came up short on Raffle Prize, gained compensation half an hour later when landing the Prix Jean Romanet on Coronet. “She’s a wonderful filly, doesn’t know how to run a bad race. I love her so much,” the jockey said. John Gosden’s grey may run next on Champions Day before retiring to the paddocks.
There was further British success on the support card when Hughie Morrison’s Marmelo won the Prix Kergorlay, a Group Two. “I think they may be lucky we’re not going to York with him,” Morrison said, surely a light-hearted allusion to the Lonsdale Stakes on Friday, in which Stradivarius will be a hot favourite to gain his fourth win of the year and a £1m bonus.