By Tom Frary
With Signs of Blessing under a stopping 11-pound penalty for his success in last year's G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest, there was an understandable flurry of interest from all around to try and exploit any vulnerabilities in the Rohaut juggernaut. Faced by the 2016 G1 King's Stand S. hero Profitable and five black-type winning compatriots including last year's winner Finsbury Square, a respectable role in defeat would have been entirely forgivable and was almost expected but the bay was nevertheless able to lead a procession up his favoured track. Only sixth in this last year as a result of a failed attempt at restraint, the bay who had previously slammed Finsbury Square by six lengths in the 5 1/2-furlong Listed Prix Cor de Chasse at Fontainebleau bounced back under forcing tactics to finish less than a half-length third in Royal Ascot's G1 Diamond Jubilee S. in June. Taking the Maurice de Gheest over 6 1/2 furlongs at this venue, Signs of Blessing was fourth in the G1 Qipco British Champions Sprint S. back at Ascot in October and just over a length fifth in the Dec. 11 G1 Hong Kong Sprint.
Sent on in customary fashion by Stephane Pasquier, he was shadowed throughout by Profitable but began to extend his advantage from the furlong pole and remorselessly crushed his rivals in what amounts to a career-best. “That was a truly great performance, having been away for such a long time and having to give a lot of weight away,” trainer Francois Rohaut said. “With all the minor problems we have had with him this winter, we couldn't bring him back any earlier so I have to be delighted, especially as the ground was also on the soft side which he does not like. He is a truly adaptable horse who loves this racecourse. We'll head to Royal Ascot now for the [June 20 G1] King's Stand S.”
Signs of Blessing's unraced dam is a daughter of the Listed Cheshire Oaks third Sunray Superstar (GB) (Nashwan), a full-sister to the G1 Prix Saint-Alary heroine and G1 Prix de Diane runner-up Nadia (GB). Their dam Nazoo, who captured the Listed Rochestown S. at two, is a full-sibling of the G3 Anglesey S.-winning pair Single Combat and Lake Como and to the dam of the nine-times grade I-winning dual turf champion Flawlessy (Affirmed). This is also the family of the Listed Silver Flash S. winner and G1 Prix Morny third Heeremandi (Ire) (Royal Academy), the four-times group-winning sire Zindabad (Fr), the GI Turf Classic S. hero Divisidero (Kitten's Joy) and champions Tosmah (Tim Tam) and Halo. Sun Bittern's 2-year-old filly is like Signs of Blessing also by Invincible Spirit and she is named It's a Wish (GB).
Saturday, Deauville, France
PRIX DE SAINT-GEORGES-G3, €80,000, DVL, 5-13, 3yo/up, 5fT, :57.34, vsf.
1–SIGNS OF BLESSING (IRE), 136, g, 6, by Invincible Spirit (Ire)
1st Dam: Sun Bittern, by Seeking The Gold
2nd Dam: Sunray Superstar (GB), by Nashwan
3rd Dam: Nazoo (Ire), by Nijinsky II
(€102,000 Ylg '12 ARAUG). O-Mme Isabelle Corbani, Ecurie Pandora Racing & Ahmed Mouknass; B-Serge Boucheron (IRE); T-Francois Rohaut; J-Stephane Pasquier. €40,000. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Fr, GSW-Ger & G1SP-Eng, 22-9-2-2, €668,727. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Profitable (Ire), 126, h, 5, Invincible Spirit (Ire)–Dani Ridge (Ire), by Indian Ridge (Ire). (95,000gns Ylg '13 TAOCT). O-Godolphin; B-Con Harrington (IRE); T-Clive Cox. €16,000.
3–Finsbury Square (Ire), 132, g, 5, Siyouni (Fr)–Diamond Square (Fr), by Dyhim Diamond (Ire). O/B-Berend van Dalfsen (IRE); T-Fabrice Chappet. €12,000.
Margins: 2, 3/4, NK. Odds: 3.70, 2.00, 5.60.
Also Ran: Son Cesio (Fr), Rangali (GB), Largent du Bonheur (Fr), Love Spirit (GB), Eskimo Point (Ire), City Money (Ire). Scratched: Lancelot du Lac (Ity). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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