2nd-MLF, €25,000, Debutantes, 4-26, 3yo, c/g, 8fT, 1:45.00, gd.
+AL ERAYG (IRE) (c, 3, Oasis Dream {GB}–Vallee des Reves, by Kingmambo), a $150,000 KEESEP yearling and €600,000 ARQMAY 2yo, broke smartly but raced freely exposed on the front end with no cover until reined back by Gregory Benoist to sit in fifth. Caught in a pocket momentarily in the home straight, the 13-10 favourite was pulled wide for his challenge and responded to one stroke of the whip with a surge to cut down Repercussion (GB) (Manduro {Ger}) near the line for a neck success. Bold Emperor (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the half-brother to the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Beauty Parlour (GB) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), raced up with the pace but could not find extra when it was required and faded to be a further two lengths away in fourth. Al Erayg is a half-brother to Maids Causeway (Ire) (Giant's Causeway), G1SW-Eng, $632,940, just one of several top-notchers from this distinguished Wildenstein family. The dam is a half to the highweight Verveine (Lear Fan), later the dam of the G1 Hong Kong Vase winner Vallee Enchantee (Ire) (Peintre Celebre) and E. P. Taylor heroine Volga (Ire) (Caerleon), and also the GSW and G1SP Vetheuil (Riverman). She is the second dam of, among others, the sire Vespone (Ire) (Llandaff) and the high-class Purple Moon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who went so close to winning the Melbourne Cup for the Cumani stable. Vallee des Reves has a yearling filly to come by Declaration of War. Lifetime Record: 1start, 1 win, €12,500. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
O-Al Shaqab Racing; B-Vallee des Reves Syndicate (IRE); T-Francis-Henri Graffard.
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