Shaman looking to Grade One after shock win over Sottsass
Sottsass could finish only fourth as Shaman made every yard of the running to lift the Prix d’harcourt at Parislongchamp.
All eyes were on the Jeanclaude Rouget-trained Sottsass after a 2019 campaign that saw him win the French Derby and finish third to Waldgeist and Enable in the Prix de l’arc de Triomphe.
However, he never looked like troubling winner Shaman, who benefited from a fine front-running ride by Maxime Guyon.
The Carlos Laffon-pariastrained winner was no slouch himself last term, beating Sottsass in the Prix La Force before finishing second in the French 2000 Guineas and also the Prix Jacques le Marois.
Trying ten furlongs for the first time, he bounced back to his best in this Group Two event, kicking on in the straight to repel the late challenge of Way To Paris, with Simona only narrowly beaten in third. Connections now hope to land a Group One with the son of Shamardal.
Pierre-yves Bureau, racing manager to the Wertheimer brothers, said: “We were very pleased. Carlos had been telling me he wanted to try him at ten furlongs.
“He won a nine-furlong Group Three at Longchamp last season and had done very well at a mile, being Group One placed. It was a serious test with Sottsass and some good horses, but when Shaman is like that, galloping like that – he likes to be like that. He needs to be relaxed in a race. He’s a very good horse, he’s well bred and now he needs to win the Group One!”
Assessing options at that level in the near future, Bureau said: “He has the potential for such a big race. We will talk with Carlos and see what he thinks. I think the d’ispahan is in July this year and might be a very good race for him, but there is the Ganay as well.
“We don’t know what will happen with the foreign races as well, so that is a big question for later on, but today is a Group Two win.
“I think the Ganay is in a month’s time, we will see with Carlos how the horse comes out of the race, but I would be very happy for him to win a Group One because I think he deserves it.
“I think they are the two options for him at the moment and they are at home. The aim is to win a Group One, for sure.”
In the Prix de Fontainebleau, hot favourite Victor Ludorum suffered a shock defeat as outsider The Summit secured a front-running victory.
Victor Ludorum was last seen when winning the Group One Prix Jean-luc Lagardere last October and was expected to cement his Classic claims in this trial for the French 2000 Guineas over a mile.
However, Andre Fabre’s runner raced keenly in the early stages as Mickael Barzalona struggled to find any cover, with The Summit setting the gallop from the off. The leader was still travelling well within himself as the field turned for home, with Arc-winning jockey Pierre-charles Boudot seemingly having a bit still up his sleeve as he pushed his mount on two furlongs out.
Victor Ludorum could not go with him and only Ecrivain – who did not enjoy the clearest of passages in the straight – looked a danger, eventually having to settle for a fastfinishing second.
The favourite was only third and was immediately pushed out to 7-2 from 7-4 for the French Guineas by Betfair. The same firm make The Summit an 8-1 chance for trainer Henrialex Pantall.
Godolphin’s French representative Lisa-jane Graffard reported Fabre would still target Classic glory with Victor Ludorum.
She told www.godolphin. com: “Victor Ludorum looked to be very ring-rusty but both Andre and Mickael were happy enough with his performance.
“Provided he comes out of the race well, he will head to the Poule d’essai des Poulains (1 June) en route to, hopefully, contesting the Prix du Jockey Club.”