Surprise Jean Romanet Win For Falco’s Odeliz

Only fourth behind Amazing Maria (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) in the G1 Prix Rothschild over a mile at Deauville three weeks ago, Barbara Keller’s Odeliz (Ire) (Falco) found some improvement when returning to the Normandy venue on Sunday to register a 35-1 upset in a farcical renewal of the G1 Darley Prix Jean Romanet. Instantly on to the lead from her widest draw, the chestnut was left alone to enjoy a hack-canter under Adrie de Vries and after warming up in her own time was able to see off a stern challenge from the Rothschild third Bawina (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) from the quarter pole. Digging in to score by a neck, she had won the tactical war in a race to shame some of the country’s riding talent with Avenir Certain (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) unable to make up sizeable ground from an impossible position and finishing 3/4 of a length away in third. Odeliz, whose first black-type encounter had been a successful one in Longchamp’s Listed Prix de Liancourt in September 2013, found an admirable level of consistency last season when placing five times in group company in Europe prior to her half-length second to Just the Judge (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) in Woodbine’s GI E. P. Taylor S. in October. In contrast, her first outing this term proved an uncharacteristic disappointment as she was seventh in heavy ground in the G3 Park Express S. over a mile at The Curragh Mar. 29 but she was back on track with a fourth in the G2 Middleton S. over an extended 10-furlong trip at York May 14. No match for Arabian Queen (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) when third to that future headline-maker in Epsom’s G3 Princess Elizabeth S. over 8 1/2 furlongs June 5, Odeliz was fitted with cheekpieces for a confidence-boosting foray into Hamburg for the June 27 G3 Franz-Gunther von Gaertner Gedachtnisrennen and looked a sharper tool when steered to a first pattern-race success by Adrie de Vries. Just a neck behind Bawina in the Rothschild and beaten under three lengths in total there with her German jockey retaining the partnership, she was able to eke out more here due to the combination of a soft lead and a return to a more suitable trip. For trainer Karl Burke, it was a triumph of persistence and consistency being its own reward. “It wasn’t exactly the plan to go from the front, but I left it up to Adrie and once she relaxed so well there,” he said. “She is so lazy I knew she was not doing much and so was quite confident–when she quickened, I knew she could last out. She’s been a progressive filly and has come a long way for us. She did not run as a 2-year-old, as she was big and needed time, but she has been good since and I always thought she would do well over a mile and a quarter. She was second in the E. P. Taylor last year and it has always been the plan to return, so I see no reason to change that and she will also be entered in the [Oct. 4] G1 Prix de l’Opera de Longchamp.” Last year’s winner Ribbons (GB) (Manduro {Ger}), who was sent off the 27-10 favorite, was one of those who did not sit too far off the tepid pace but was ultimately disappointing in sixth.

Sunday, Deauville, France
DARLEY PRIX JEAN ROMANET-G1, €250,000, DVL, 8-23, 4yo/up, f/m, 10fT, 2:14.27, hy.
1–&ODELIZ (IRE), 126, m, 5, by Falco
1st Dam: Acatama, by Efisio (GB)
2nd Dam: Tanzania (Ire), by Alzao
3rd Dam: Triple Couronne, by Riverman
(€22,000 Ylg ‘11 AR11). O-Barbara M Keller; B-Aleyrion Bloodstock Ltd (Ire); T-Karl Burke; J-Adrie de Vries; €142,850. Lifetime Record: GSW-Ger, GISP-Can, MGSP-Eng & Ire, 21 starts, 5 wins, 15 places, €405,038. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
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2–Bawina (Ire), 126, f, 4, Dubawi (Ire)–Esneh (Ire), by Sadler’s Wells. O/B-Wertheimer & Frere (IRE); T-Carlos Laffon-Parias. €57,150.
3–Avenir Certain (Fr), 126, f, 4, Le Havre (Ire)–Puggy (Ire), by Mark of Esteem (Ire). (€45,000 Ylg ‘12 AR12). O-Antonio Caro & Gerard Augustin-Normand; B-Elisabeth Vidal (FR); T-Jean-Claude Rouget. €28,575.
Margins: NK, 3/4, 1HF. Odds: 35.40, 5.70, 4.00.
Also Ran: We Are (Ire), Fate (GB), Ribbons (GB), Sparkling Beam (Ire), Feodora (Ger), Madame Chiang (GB), Persona Grata (GB), Wunder (Ger). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.