Manduro’s Vazirabad Battles To Royal-Oak Glory

Only fifth over 11 furlongs on debut at Longchamp May 19, Vazirabad improved on that inauspicious effort when second over 15 furlongs at Dieppe June 16 before getting off the mark over the latter track and trip July 18. Creeping up in the estimations of connections when successful in a 13 1/2-furlong conditions event at Deauville Aug. 4, the bay captured the G3 Prix de Lutece over 15 furlongs at Longchamp Sept. 6 before returning to that course and distance to register a facile victory in the G2 Prix Chaudenay on the Saturday of Arc weekend Oct. 3. Held up in rear early by Christophe Soumillon with only the typically languid Alex My Boy (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) behind, the homebred was brought wide in the straight to chase Siljan’s Saga as Cirrus des Aigles (Fr) (Even Top {GB}) started to run out of steam up ahead. Grinding his way past the mare despite still looking green with 150 meters remaining, he asserted for an ultimately convincing success as the pair pulled away from the long-time leader and G1 Prix du Cadran winner Mille et Mille. “Since his first run, which was bad, he has been unstoppable,” trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre commented. “He seems to enjoy his racing a lot and after his win last time we discussed the possibility of going to Hong Kong with him, but decided it was too much for a 3-year-old and came here instead. We still don’t know what his limit is, but he is definitely a top-class stayer and so we will wait until next year.” Cirrus des Aigles’ trainer Corine Barande-Barbe said of the fourth-placed veteran, “Frankie said the trip was too far for him.”

Sunday, Saint-Cloud, France
PRIX ROYAL-OAK-G1, €350,000, SCD, 10-25, 3yo/up, 15 1/2fT, 3:27.61, sf.
1–&VAZIRABAD (FR), 121, g, 3, by Manduro (Ger)
1st Dam: Visorama (Ire) (GSW & G1SP-Fr, $181,397), by Linamix (Fr)
2nd Dam: Visor, by Mr. Prospector
3rd Dam: Look, by Spectacular Bid
O-H H The Aga Khan; B-H H The Aga Khan’s Studs SC (FR); T-Alain de Royer-Dupre; J-Christophe Soumillon. €199,990. Lifetime Record: 7-5-1-0, €382,490. *1/2 to Visoriyna (Fr) (Dansili {GB}), SW & MGSP-Fr, $139,138. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Siljan’s Saga (Fr), 127, m, 5, Sagamix (Fr)–Humoriste (Fr), by Saint Cyrien (Fr). (€2,500 Ylg ‘11 ARNOV). O-Eric Palluat de Besset & Emmanuel Tassin; B-Mme Antoinette Ouvry (FR); T-Jean-Pierre Gauvin. €80,010.
3–Mille et Mille (GB), 130, g, 5, Muhtathir (GB)–Quezon Sun (Ger), by Monsun (Ger). (€32,000 Ylg ‘11 AROCT). O-Nicolas Saltiel, Henri Hourcadette & Jose Bruneau de la Salle; B-Haras de la Perelle (GB); T-Carlos & Yann Lerner. €40,005.
Margins: 1, 5, 1. Odds: 2.40, 7.20, 9.00.
Also Ran: Cirrus des Aigles (Fr), Manatee (GB), Walzertakt (Ger), Alex My Boy (Ire), Fun Mac (Ger), Sahrawi (Ger), Fly With Me (Fr), Kicky Blue (Ger), Zack Hope (GB), Pilansberg (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.