By Sean Cronin
Zonza, who was an Apr. 15 debut winner going five furlongs at Bordeaux-le-Bouscat, registered a second score upped to 5 1/2 panels at Maisons-Laffitte last time May 17, and continued on the upgrade with a career high in this black-type bow. Positioned in a handy fifth after the initial strides, she came under pressure inside the final quarter mile to challenge at the eighth pole and was ridden out in the closing stages to comfortably assert superiority. “She is a filly with a lot of heart, she has improved with every run and becoming a Group winner is a great achievement,” beamed trainer Didier Guillemin. “If she comes out of the race well, and if travelling back and forth to our South-West base doesn't take to much out of her, I imagine the [July 23 G2] Prix Robert Papin [at Maisons-Laffitte] might be next on the list. If not, we can wait for the [Aug. 20 G1] Prix Morny [back at this track].”
Saturday, Deauville, France
PRIX DU BOIS-G3, €80,000, DVL, 7-1, 2yo, 5fT, :58.56, sf.
1–#@ZONZA (FR), 122, f, 2, by Alex the Winner
1st Dam: Zanyeva (Ire), by Oasis Dream (GB)
2nd Dam: Drama Club (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
3rd Dam: Aunt Pearl, by Seattle Slew
O-Alain Jathiere, Jean-Pierre-Joseph Dubois, Gerard Augustin-Normand & Hugues Rousseau; B-Hugues Rousseau & Jean-Pierre-Joseph Dubois (FR); T-Didier Guillemin; J-Cristian Demuro. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, €69,680. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Elizabeth Darcy (Ire), 122, f, 2, Camacho (GB)–Regency Girl (Ire), by Pivotal (GB). (€88,000 Ylg '16 GOFORB). O-Hat Creek Racing; B-Manister House Stud (IRE); T-Wesley Ward. €16,000.[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]3–Ardenode (Ire), 126, g, 2, Hellvelyn (GB)–Coconut Kisses (GB), by Bahamian Bounty (GB). (€8,500 Wlg '15 GOFNOV; €15,000 Ylg '16 TIRSEP). O-Mme Susan Davis & Mme Melissa O'Neill; B-R&M Bloodstock (IRE); T-Eoghan O'Neill. €12,000.
Margins: 3/4, 1, 1HF. Odds: 5.30, 2.90, 3.40.
Also Ran: Hergame (GB), Debutante's Ball (Ire), Vik the Billy (GB), Yori (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Zonza, half-sister to the yearling filly Zigliara (Fr) (Makfi {GB}), is from a family which includes G1 Gran Criterium-winning sire Pearl of Love (Ire) (Peintre Celebre) and MGSW sire Social Charter (Nureyev).
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