By Tom Frary
A wide draw is supposed to be the kiss of death in the G1 Qatar Prix de la Foret, but with an inspired Pierre-Charles Boudot on board they forgot to tell that to the Lael Stable homebred One Master (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) as she lifted the spirits of the Haggas stable in the Arc card's group 1 finale. Despite breaking from a woeful post in 15 of 16, the bay who had benefitted from being freshened up having won Tipperary's G3 Fairy Bridge S. over an extended seven furlongs Aug. 30 was an insulting 47-1. Anchored towards the back early, she was delivered in the nick of time to reel in Inns of Court (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) close home and prevail by a short head, with another Godolphin runner in Dutch Connection (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) a head behind in third. The 7-5 favourite Polydream (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}) was only seventh. “I'm absolutely thrilled,” commented her trainer who had witnessed Sea of Class almost pull off a similar manoeuvre earlier in the afternoon. “Coming here, the key was to get her to settle which Pierre-Charles Boudot did very well. He gave her a great, great ride. When I come here and don't have an English rider, I usually rely on Christophe Soumillon or Maxime Guyon, but they were not available so agent Shippy Ellis said to go with Boudot.”
One Master was rolling back the clock for her owner-breeders here, with her second dam Superstar Leo (Ire) (College Chapel {GB}) proving one of their earliest European sensations when second to Namid (GB) (Indian Ridge {Ire}) for this stable in the millennium renewal of the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp as a juvenile. Having won the seven-furlong Listed October S. on her third start at Ascot as a 3-year-old, One Master went to the G3 Chartwell Fillies' S. over the same trip at Lingfield May 12 and finished fourth before filling third spot in the G3 Ballyogan S. at The Curragh June 8. Handed a compromising wide draw in 17 for Goodwood's G3 Oak Tree S. back at this trip, she managed fourth in that Goodwood contest before things fell into place in the Fairy Bridge. “She's very tough and good and we had been running her over six furlongs, but when we went up to seven she won well at Tipperary. I'm thrilled for the owners too, as they have been with me for over twenty years and send me everything they breed. I trained the dam and the granddam, so you can only imagine how proud I am. The plan was to keep her in training as a four-year-old, but now she's won a group 1 we will have to regroup and see.”
Godolphin's Lisa-Jane Graffard said of Inns of Court, “We can't be disappointed, because he ran so well. He backs up his last good performance, coming third, in the [G3] Prix du Pin and there isn't much left to say. He is a good-ground horse who doesn't like extreme conditions, so he was happy today.”
The aforementioned Superstar Leo (Ire) (College Chapel {GB}), who was purchased by Maureen Haggas for just 3,400gns at Tattersalls in 1999 and won the G2 Flying Childers S. and G3 Norfolk S. and was also runner-up in the G1 Phoenix S., produced this filly's dam Enticing (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) who captured the G3 King George S. and G3 Molecomb S. as well as the listed-winning and G3 Jersey S. runner-up Sentaril (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). She is a half-sister to Starship (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who produced the talented colt Rivet (Ire), another by Fastnet Rock who captured the G1 Racing Post Trophy and G2 Champagne S. for this yard. This is also the family of the G1 2000 Guineas-winning sire Footstepsinthesand (GB), G1 Irish 2000 Guineas-winning sire Power (GB) and December Draw (Ire) (Medecis {GB}) who captured the G1 Turnbull S. Enticing has an as-yet unraced 2-year-old colt by Bated Breath (GB) and a yearling and foal colt and filly by Kodiac (GB).
Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
QATAR PRIX DE LA FORET-G1, €350,000, ParisLongchamp, 10-7, 3yo/up, 7fT, 1:20.29, gd.
1–ONE MASTER (GB), 125, f, 4, by Fastnet Rock (Aus)
1st Dam: Enticing (Ire) (MGSW-Eng, $260,363), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Superstar Leo (Ire), by College Chapel (GB)
3rd Dam: Council Rock (GB), by General Assembly
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Lael Stable; B-Lael Stables (GB); T-William Haggas; J-Pierre-Charles Boudot. €199,990. Lifetime Record: GSW-Ire & SW-Eng, 8-4-0-2, €283,680. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Inns of Court (Ire), 128, c, 4, Invincible Spirit (Ire)–Learned Friend (Ger), by Seeking the Gold. O-Godolphin SNC; B-Darley (IRE); T-Andre Fabre. €80,010.
3–Dutch Connection (GB), 128, h, 6, Dutch Art (GB)–Endless Love (Ire), by Dubai Destination. O-Godolphin; B-Mrs S M Roy (GB); T-Charles Hills. €40,005.
Margins: SHD, HD, 1 1/4. Odds: 47.10, 16.00, 37.00.
Also Ran: Gustav Klimt (Ire), Sir Dancealot (Ire), Jimmy Two Times (Fr), Polydream (Ire), Tornibush (Ire), Teppal (Fr), So Beloved (GB), Zalamea (Ire), James Garfield (Ire), Burnt Sugar (Ire), Geniale (Jpn), Karar (GB). Scratched: Coeur de Beaute (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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