By Tom Frary
Pierre-Charles Boudot had been the main man all weekend and he made sure that ParisLongchamp stayed in the palm of his hand to the end by guiding Lael Stable's One Master (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) to a second consecutive success in the G1 Qatar Prix de la Foret. While she was 33-1 when overcoming a wide draw last year, the 5-year-old homebred is now rightly respected wherever she goes and was only 17-5 this time. Buried in mid-pack from her more favourable stall six, the bay who was last seen running fifth in the 6 1/2-furlong G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest was expertly placed on the lead a furlong from home and she was never going to surrender it despite the efforts of the 13-5 favourite City Light (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}). As they strained sinew in the frantic final metres, the defending champion had that bit extra to prevail by a half length as they drew 3 1/2 lengths away from Speak In Colours (GB) (Excelebration {Ire}) in third. “I've been waiting for soft ground and seven furlongs all year and the ground is a key factor, as she loves it like it is today,” trainer William Haggas said. “The jockey is on fire, which is a great help also and the mare was in top form.”
Having obtained her first pattern-race success in the G3 Fairy Bridge S. over an extended seven-furlong trip at Tipperary last August, One Master swooped late to surprise the crowds in this before running a storming race when beaten just under a length in fifth in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile. Not disgraced when eighth in the G1 Hong Kong Mile, she returned from a break to be fourth under a penalty in the G2 Lanwades Stud S. over a mile at The Curragh May 25 before filling third spot in the G1 Queen Anne S. at Royal Ascot June 18. Looking the winner until the last 100 yards of that encounter, she was a neck runner-up to Veracious (GB) (Frankel {GB}) with the run of the race against her in the G1 Falmouth S. at Newmarket Aug. 4 before her late show in the 6 1/2-furlong Maurice de Gheest at Deauville Aug. 4.
Subsequently rested as she had been in 2018, she is a fresh mare heading into the autumn where she will try sprinting again before a potential 2020 campaign. “She had a break after the Maurice de Gheest, as there was nothing to run her in,” Haggas added. “I think she's got a bit quicker this year, so the plan is to go back to six furlongs and hope for similarly testing conditions in the six-furlong race at Ascot [the Oct. 19 G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint]. Then that will be it for the season. Mr and Mrs Jackson are talking about keeping her in training next year and I'd be delighted to have her again.”
One Master, who was becoming the first since fellow Brit Moorestyle (GB) to win two renewals of this race, is a daughter of the G3 Molecomb S. and G3 King George S. winner Enticing (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), whose dam Superstar Leo (Ire) (College Chapel {GB}) was the breakthrough performer in Europe for the Jacksons in the millennium year. Notably precocious, she captured the G2 Flying Childers S. and G3 Norfolk S. and was runner-up in the G1 Phoenix S. before filling that same position behind Namid (GB) (Indian Ridge {Ire}) as a 2-year-old in the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye on this fixture.
Superstar Leo, who also produced the Listed Fleur de Lys S. winner and G3 Jersey S. runner-up Sentaril (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), is kin to Starship (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who produced this stable's G1 Racing Post Trophy hero and G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains runner-up Rivet (Ire) and the group winner Out and About (Ire) by One Master's sire Fastnet Rock. Another of Superstar Leo's half-siblings, Rocking (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), produced the G3 Ballyogan S. runner-up Boston Rocker (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) who is in turn the dam of San Donato (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) who was also third in the Poulains. Yet another New York (Ire) (Danzero {Aus}) threw the G1 Turnbull S. winner December Draw (Ire) (Medecis {GB}), while this is the family of the Classic-winning sires Footstepsinthesand (GB) and Power (GB). Enticing's unraced 3-year-old colt Prompting (GB) is by Bated Breath (GB) and she has a 2-year-old son of Kodiac (GB) named Craved (GB) and a yearling filly by the same sire to follow.
Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
QATAR PRIX DE LA FORET-G1, €350,000, ParisLongchamp, 10-6, 3yo/up, 7fT, 1:23.66, vsf.
1–ONE MASTER (GB), 125, m, 5, by Fastnet Rock (Aus)
1st Dam: Enticing (Ire) (MGSW-Eng, $260,363), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Superstar Leo (Ire), by College Chapel (GB)
3rd Dam: Council Rock (GB), by General Assembly
O-Lael Stable; B-Lael Stables (GB); T-William Haggas; J-Pierre-Charles Boudot. €199,990. Lifetime Record: GSW-Ire & SW & MG1SP-Eng, 15-5-1-3, €669,612. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–City Light (Fr), 128, h, 5, Siyouni (Fr)–Light Saber (Fr), by Kendor (Fr). (€55,000 Ylg '15 AROCT). O-Ecurie Jean-Louis Bouchard & Mme Isabelle Corbani; B-Jedburgh Stud & Mme Isabelle Corbani (FR); T-Stephane Wattel. €80,010.
3–Speak in Colours (GB), 128, c, 4, Excelebration (Ire)–Maglietta Fina (Ire), by Verglas (Ire). (24,000gns RNA Wlg '15 TATFOA; 22,000gns RNA Ylg '16 TAOCT). O-Mrs Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez; B-Scuderia Archi Romani (GB); T-Joseph O'Brien. €40,005.
Margins: HF, 3HF, 3/4. Odds: 3.40, 2.60, 23.00.
Also Ran: Safe Voyage (Ire), Graignes (Fr), Hey Gaman (GB), Forever in Dreams (Ire), Wasmya (Fr), Glorious Journey (GB), Sir Dancealot (Ire), Marianafoot (Fr), Waldpfad (Ger). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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