Largely kept under wraps up until now by Christophe Ferland, Heshem had shown enough ability to suggest he was up to this kind of venture when dominating a conditions race at Chantilly last time Apr. 28 and duly emerged front and centre when upstaging the returning G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner Ultra. Introduced over 10 furlongs at Saint-Cloud Mar. 12 in the race in which the subsequent G2 Prix Hocquart winner Mekhtaal (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) was successful, the bay built on that experience to break his maiden by 3 1/2 lengths over 9 1/2 furlongs on Chantilly's Polytrack Apr. 4 and went back over the same surface, course and distance to win by the same margin at the expense of the useful Rouget colt Justwantacontact (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) 24 days later. With the two runners far side creating nothing more than a visual distraction for the most part, the real action was unfolding in the main group against the stand's rail where Heshem sat fourth initially. Produced by Gregory Benoist to lead with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining, he had first run on the favourite Ultra there but pulled out extra when challenged to hold him at bay and end his unbeaten sequence. Now bound for the G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano at Deauville Aug. 15, Heshem is the second black-type winner for the listed-placed Doohulla after the G3 Prix Paul de Moussac scorer Xanadou (Ire) (Peintre Celebre), later renamed Rainbow Chic during his stint in Hong Kong. The next dam is the G2 Prix du Gros-Chene-winning Viva Zapata, who hails from the family of the sires Astronomer Royal and Itsmyluckyday, who made their names by winning the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and GI Woodward S. respectively. Doohulla has an as-yet unnamed 2-year-old filly by Xanadou's sire Peintre Celebre to come.
Sunday, Maisons-Laffitte, France
PRIX EUGENE ADAM (GRAND PRIX DE MAISONS-LAFFITTE)-G2, €130,000, MLF, 7-17, 3yo, 10fT, 2:00.30, gd.
1–#@HESHEM (IRE), 123, c, 3, by Footstepsinthesand (GB)">Footstepsinthesand (GB)
1st Dam: Doohulla (SP-Eng), by Stravinsky
2nd Dam: Viva Zapata, by Affirmed
3rd Dam: Viva Aviva, by Secretariat
(€80,000 RNA Wlg '13 ARQDEC; €85,000 Ylg '14 ARAUG). O-Al Shaqab Racing; B-Yeguada de Milagro SA (IRE); T-Christophe Ferland; J-Gregory Benoist. €74,100. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-1, €109,350. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
[bullet ad=”mandore-purchased-by”]2–Ultra (Ire), 123, c, 3, Manduro (Ger)–Epitome (Ire), by Nashwan. O-Godolphin SNC; B-Darley; T-Andre Fabre. €28,600.
3–Spectroscope, 123, c, 3, Medaglia d'Oro–Diamondrella (GB), by Rock of Gibraltar (Ire). ($375,000 Ylg '14 KEESEP). O-Godolphin SNC; B-SF Bloodstock LLC (KY); T-Andre Fabre. €13,650.
Margins: 3/4, 3, 1. Odds: 7.20, 1.70, 12.00.
[bullet ad=”us-bred-ky-bred-keen-grad”][bullet ad=”taylor-made-tm-for-you”]Also Ran: Raseed (GB), Craven's Legend (Ire), Kidmenever (Ire), Lamarck (GB), Bueller, Golden Bridge (Fr), Viserano (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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