The Texanita Test
Updated: July 21, 2015 at 4:17 pm
Maisons-Laffitte stage their upgraded G3 Prix Texanita on Monday, with Andre Fabre putting the unexposed Sallal (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) to the test with Royal Ascot’s new 3-year-old sprint looming on the horizon. Raced entirely at this track so far, Al Shaqab’s promising bay has already been successful twice over six furlongs in conditions events staged on heavy and good ground in October and on his sophomore bow Apr. 21, respectively. Despite his penalty for his juvenile win in the G3 Prix du Bois at Chantilly, Guy Pariente’s Goken (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) has to be taken seriously on his subsequent fourth in the G1 Prix Morny at Deauville in August and third in the G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte in November, and shaped well when third on his return in Chantilly’s G3 Prix Sigy Apr. 15. Swedish challenger Volatile (Swe) (Strategic Prince {GB}) offers a line to the Dubai carnival form, having won the Listed Meydan Classic over seven furlongs on turf Feb. 26.