Successful in the 10 1/2-furlong G3 Prix Cleopatre at Saint-Cloud May 29, Highlands Queen had been disqualified and placed last after finishing eighth in the G1 Prix de Diane over that trip at Chantilly last time June 19 but put that disappointment firmly behind her with an authoritative success here. Put in her place on debut by the potentially high-class Pia Brandt-trained Etonnez Moi (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) when three-lengths second to that subsequently-absent rival over 10 furlongs at Saint-Cloud Mar. 12, the bay mastered Mango Tango in a conditions event over the same course and distance Apr. 3 before powering to a lone win on the far side of that track in the Cleopatre. Wrongly famous for her part in William Buick's lengthy suspension as he was judged to have caused the interference that brought down Armande (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in the Diane, Highlands Queen made her headlines the right way with this tour de force which suggests a fruitful autumn campaign awaits her.
Held up early by Stephane Pasquier with two behind, she was unleashed stand's side as the field fanned out at the top of the straight and found a lethal spell of acceleration to sweep aside old rival Mango Tango once again approaching the furlong pole en route to an impressive success. “She had bounced back so well from the Diane and was in top form, so I felt she had improved a lot,” trainer Yohann Gourraud said of the moderately-bred granddaughter of the G3 Prix Fille de l'Air third Queen of Persia who in turn is a half to the classy jumper Kalahari King (Fr) (Kahyasi {Ire}). “There was some pressure today, because you are never certain over that kind of trip but when she made her move I felt that she looked brilliant. It was always the plan to go to the [G1] Prix Vermeille [at Chantilly Sept. 11], so she will now go there and it will be her next race.”
Saturday, Deauville, France
SHADWELL PRIX DE POMONE-G2, €130,000, DVL, 8-13, 3yo/up, f/m, 12 1/2fT, 2:45.57, gd.
1–HIGHLANDS QUEEN (FR), 119, f, 3, by Mount Nelson (GB)
1st Dam: Queen of Poland (Fr), by Polish Precedent
2nd Dam: Queen of Persia (Ire), by Persian Bold (Ire)
3rd Dam: Queen of Warsaw (Fr), by Assert (Ire)
O-Mme Nathalie Kerjean, Yves Kerjean & Henri Malard; B-SCEA Domaine de l'Argos (FR); T-Yohann Gourraud; J-Stephane Pasquier. €74,100. Lifetime Record: 5-3-1-0, €131,600. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Mango Tango (Fr), 119, f, 3, Siyouni (Fr)–Alexandrina (Ger), by Monsun (Ger). (€50,000 2yo '15 OSAAPR). O-Galileo Racing Inc; B-Emmanuel Trussardi & Ecurie du Precieux (FR); T-Pascal Bary. €28,600.
3–Contribution (GB), 131, f, 4, Champs Elysees (GB)–Concentric (GB), by Sadler's Wells. O-Khalid Abdullah; B-Juddmonte Farms Ltd (GB); T-Andre Fabre. €13,650.
Margins: 2HF, 2, HF. Odds: 2.70, 8.10, 6.90.
Also Ran: Mambomiss (Fr), Gargotiere (Fr), Forever Popular, Al Wathna (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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