By Tom Frary
Godspeed's finishing sectionals in the G3 Prix de la Grotte showed us that she was a class act and Peter Bradley's colour-bearer confirmed that in Sunday's G2 Prix de Sandringham at Chantilly. This was effectively won at the break, with Christophe Soumillon instantly getting a length on the inexperienced favourite Vadinska and able to sit in mid-division while that peer was anchored out the back.
Slipping by the leader Eponine with ease passing two out, the Carlos and Yann Lerner-trained daughter of Hello Youmzain was in cruise control from there en route to a length verdict over that daughter of Tamayuz. Time Test's Betty Clover was a length further away in third, with the 9-10 market-leader Vadinska ending up fifth in a race that proved a write-off in all areas bar the educational.
Third in the Grotte, having finished faster than the winner Zarigana with a 33.09 final three-furlong sectional, Godspeed had to endure a horror draw in 13 back at ParisLongchamp for the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches. In the event, she was a respectable eighth beaten just over four lengths having yet again demonstrated her lethal finishing kick with only Zarigana faster from three out.
Connections are pondering a tilt at the G1 Prix de Diane now. “We had plenty of confidence, as we know she has a lot of talent,” Yann Lerner said of the winner, sent off the 7-2 second favourite. “The [G1] Diane is an option, but first I need to talk with all the partners. She is a very easy filly and it's a question of whether she can use that turn of foot over 2,100.”
Godspeed takes out the Group Two Prix de Sandringham! 🇫🇷
She puts the race to bed with a good turn of foot to beat Eponine and it's another credible run from Betty Clover in third! pic.twitter.com/KLCZ4sKR43
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 1, 2025
Pedigree Notes
Whether Godspeed, who is the third Group winner for her second-crop sire, will stay the 10 1/2-furlong trip of the Diane is an unknown with her dam Mary's Precedent at her best over a mile when winning the Listed Prix de Bagatelle here. Her other black-type daughter, the Listed-placed Mary's France, found that trip her maximum but was by the faster sire Acclamation.
Stamina clues come in the form of the G3 Prix Cleopatre winner and G1 Prix Saint-Alary runner-up Crown Princesse by Zarak and in the third dam Allwaki's GI Del Mar Oaks-placed daughter Premiere Creation. This is the family of the Arc and Prix du Jockey Club hero Sottsass and the multiple Grade I winner Sistercharlie who were both by sires who plied their trade over sprint trips. Knowing what they had in Godspeed, Mary's Precedent's 2-year-old filly by Iffraaj was also snapped up by the Lerners for €105,000 at Arqana Deauville August.
Sunday, Chantilly, France
PRIX DE SANDRINGHAM-G2, €130,000, Chantilly, 6-1, 3yo, f, 8fT, 1:35.07, gd.
1–GODSPEED (FR), 126, f, 3, by Hello Youmzain (Fr)
1st Dam: Mary's Precedent (Fr) (SW-Fr, $115,373), by Storming Home (GB)
2nd Dam: Suvretta Queen (Ire), by Polish Precedent
3rd Dam: Allwaki, by Miswaki
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Peter R Bradley III, F&O Hinderze Racing & Ecurie JML Racing; B-Ecurie Haras du Cadran, Ecurie Melanie & Stephane Gilibert; T-Carlos & Yann Lerner; J-Christophe Soumillon. €74,100. Lifetime Record: 5-2-0-2, €103,800. *1/2 to Mary's France (Fr) (Acclamation {GB}), SP-Fr. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Eponine (Ire), 126, f, 3, Tamayuz (GB)–Porcelaine (Ire), by Kodiac (GB). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O/B-Cotton House Bloodstock; T-Philippe Sogorb. €28,600.
3–Betty Clover (GB), 126, f, 3, Time Test (GB)–Reprieval (Fr), by Kendargent (Fr). O-The Ascot Revellers & Partner; B/T-Eve Johnson Houghton. €13,650.
Margins: 1, 1, HD. Odds: 3.50, 10.00, 5.60.
Also Ran: Relaxx (Fr), Vadinska (Ire), Ghoufrann (Ire), Tigress Of Gaul (Fr), Mimos (Fr).
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