Dubawi's Bateel Wins the Pomone

Denied the deep ground she so relishes, Bateel nevertheless showed she is no one-trick pony by taking this prize to enhance her reputation. Previously trained by David Simcock, the bay has mostly endured the misfortune of missing the rain which is some achievement given the erratic European summers. When it is wet, she is deadly as she proved when capturing the Listed Fred Archer S. over 12 furlongs at Newmarket last June and when winning the G3 Pinnacle S. as she liked also over that trip at Haydock June 10. The latter was only the fifth time she had encountered ground with soft in the description in 11 outings and the fifth time she had won on such a surface, so when the sun came out to dry up this normally-moist Normandy turf new trainer Francis-Henri Graffard was left in a quandary. “She came to me in search of soft ground, which is more likely in France but every time she runs it is never quite soft enough,” he explained. “Still, I have to send her to the races when she is ready and the ground today is safe so I really wanted her to take her chance.”

With the visiting favourite Abingdon looking a difficult ride up the straight and last year's G3 Prix de Royaumont and G2 Prix de Royallieu winner The Juliet Rose (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}) needing this return to action, Bateel may not have needed to be at her best to score but she is obviously maturing into a quality individual who could be a major force in the autumn. Always happy tracking the leader Traffic Jam closely, she was committed by Pierre-Charles Boudot approaching the furlong pole and stayed on to hold that rallying rival for her most significant success yet. “She won quite well and will now most probably go for the [G1 Prix] Vermeille [at Chantilly Sept. 10]. We'll see from there, but she will have other opportunities on very soft ground.” Nicolas Clement, trainer of the runner-up and The Juliet Rose, was satisfied with his fillies's efforts and said, “Traffic Jam is a nice improving filly and I am very happy with that performance, while The Juliet Rose was very rusty and definitely needed it.”

Bateel is one of two black-type winners out of the G2 Pretty Polly S. runner-up Attractive Crown alongside the Listed Prix Charles Laffitte winner Basemah (Fr) (Lemon Drop Kid). Her third dam Arosa numbers the Prix Messidor and Prix Imprudence among her five successes and is also the dam of the G2 Prix Greffulhe-winning sire Arokar (Fr) and his SW and MGSP full-sister La Tirana (Fr). She in turn is the second dam of four black-type performers headed by the G3 Prix Exbury scorer Court Canibal (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}), while Arosa's descendants also include the G3 Prix Chloe winner Holly Golightly (GB) (Robellino) and the G3 Lancashire Oaks and G3 John Porter S. winner Spout (GB) (Salse). Attractive Crown's last known foal is the 2-year-old colt Maqari (Ksa) (Dutch Art {GB}).

Sunday, Deauville, France
HARAS FIRMAMENTO PRIX DE POMONE-G2, €130,000, DVL, 8-6, 3yo/up, f/m, 12 1/2fT, 2:39.54, gd.
1–BATEEL (IRE), 130, m, 5, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Attractive Crown (GSP-Ire), by Chief's Crown
2nd Dam: Attirance (Fr), by Crowned Prince
3rd Dam: Arosa (GB), by Silver Shark
O-Al Asayl Bloodstock Ltd; B-Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nayhan (IRE); T-Francis-Henri Graffard; J-Pierre-Charles Boudot. €74,100. Lifetime Record: GSW-Eng, 11-6-2-0, €208,787. *1/2 to Basemah (Fr) (Lemon Drop Kid), SW-Fr. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Traffic Jam (Ire), 130, f, 4, Duke of Marmalade (Ire)–Place de L'Etoile (Ire), by Sadler's Wells. (€65,000 Ylg '14 GOFORB). O-Alexis Adamian; B-Lynch-Bages Ltd (IRE); T-Nicolas Clement. €28,600.
3–Abingdon, 130, f, 4, Street Cry (Ire)–Justlookdontouch (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). O/B-Ballymacoll Stud (KY); T-Sir Michael Stoute. €13,650.
Margins: NK, 1HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 3.70, 14.60, 1.70.
Also Ran: The Juliet Rose (Fr), Kitesurf (GB), Thrones Game (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.