Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) will bypass the Sept. 15 G1 Derrinstown Stud Flying Five S. at the Curragh and will head straight to the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye at ParisLongchamp in early October. Trained by Charlie Hills, the 5-year-old bested 10 rivals at York when taking the Aug. 23 G1 Nunthorpe S.
Victorious in the 2017 renewal of the Abbaye, the gelding's connections are keen to see him regain his crown in Paris before a possible tilt at the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita in November.
“Battaash is going to go straight to France,” said Angus Gold, racing manager to owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum. “Missing the race in Ireland just gives him a bit more time, and Charles [Hills] is very keen to go to America later in the year. I think giving him a bit of time now before the Abbaye gives him more of a chance of doing that.”
Battaash has won 10 of his 19 career starts to date, and has never finished out of the first four.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
