Fabre Eyes British Targets

Trainer Andre Fabre is targeting contests at Newmarket’s Guineas Festival May 2 and 3 for a pair of his Godolphin 4-year-olds, Fintry (Ire) (Shamardal) and Manatee (GB) (Monsun {Ger}). 

Fintry, who won last year’s G2 Prix Sandringham and G3 Atalanta S., was last seen finishing third over Newmarket’s Rowley Mile in the G1 Sun Chariot S. Oct. 4, and she is expected to make her seasonal debut in the G2 Charm Spirit Dahlia S. over 1 1/8 miles. All her prior starts have been at a mile, but Fabre said the added distance isn’t a concern. 
“She has wintered well and I am quite optimistic that she will stay this extra furlong,” the conditioner said. “If she does it will open a number of doors for her.” 

“An obvious reason for her to come for the Dahlia is that she escapes a penalty for her Group 2 win in last June’s Prix de Sandringham,” Fabre added. “In France they punish the good horses for their wins and I think that the British system is much wiser.” 

Manatee recorded a career high when winning the G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris when last seen in October, and his four starts to date–three wins and a second–have all come over soft going. He is entered for the G2 Dunaden at Overbury Jockey Club S. 

“The Jockey Club S. is just a starting point for him as there are no other suitable races, but I would be disappointed if he didn’t go very close–he is a good horse,” Fabre said. Fabre has won the Jockey Club twice, including with GI Breeders’ Cup Turf victor Shirocco (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), and he put Manatee on that level. 

“I have won the Jockey Club S. twice before with Getaway and Shirocco. They were both 5-year-olds while he is only four and needs to get stronger. But in time I would hope that he could be as good as them–possibly even better. Manatee might prefer a bit of cut in the ground as he has been efficient on soft ground to this point. But the theory that Monsun’s progeny need to have soft ground is not proven. The best Monsun that I ever had was Manduro and he loved fast ground.”