Fonthill Abbey eases to win in G3 Prix Bertrand de Tarragon

CHANTILLY: Fonthill Abbey showed an excellent turn of foot to record a cosy victory on her G3 debut in the Prix Bertrand de Tarragon over nine furlongs at Chantilly in France on Friday.

The four-year-old filly, stepping up in class in trip for Andre Fabre after going down by a short-head in the mile Listed Prix de la Cochere at Longchamp earlier this month, was held up in last of the seven runners before moving up a place down the back straight.

She quickened powerfully after being switched out by Mickael Barzalona two and a half furlongs from home, taking up the running approaching the final furlong. The Dubawi filly readily went clear before being eased on the line to beat the fast-finishing Thalyia by half a length.

Lisa-jane Graffard of Godolphin said: “It was a very nice performance from Fonthill Abbey. She is a very nice filly and is hitting a rich vein of form, which has justified the patience of keeping her in training this year.”

Meanwhile, Woman’s Heart bids to return to the level of form that saw her feature among Japan’s top two-year-old fillies last season when she returns from a break in the 10-furlong G2 Rose Stakes at Chukyo on Sunday.

The daughter of Heart’s Cry won over a mile at Niigata on her first two juvenile appearances, including when flying home to take the G3 Niigata Nisai Stakes last year, before ending her campaign with an excellent fourth over the same trip in the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies.

After coming home sixth on her seasonal return in the mile G2 Tulip Sho at Hanshin in March, Woman’s Heart failed to make an impact in the G1 Oka Sho, the Japanese 1,000 Guineas, over the same course and distance the following month.

The Katsuichi Nishiura-trained filly posted a beter effort on her latest outing in the 12-furlong G1 Yushun Himba, the Japanese Oaks, at Tokyo in May, as she went down by four and a half lengths in total when finishing in mid-field.

Harry Sweeney, President of Godolphin in Japan, said: “Woman’s Heart was at her zenith this time last year. She had just won the G3 Niigata Nisai Stakes and would go on to finish fourth in the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies, the only top rank race for two-year-old fillies. She had impressed widely and was the joint second-highest rated two-year-old filly in Japan last year.

“However, it has all been downhill in 2020. She failed to make the frame in any of three outings this year and does not feature at all in the most recent rankings, an indication that her official rating has now fallen below 100.

“Part of the problem in many of her races this year was that she failed to settle and was very keen early on. However, it is encouraging that her trainer, Nishiura sensei, is reporting that she has really matured mentally and has been training very well. Even if the handicapper has lost faith in her, her trainer certainly has not.”