Showing raw pattern-race material when winning his first two Polytrack outings by a cumulative margin of 10 lengths over 7 1/2 furlongs at Deauville Mar. 4 and over this trip at this track Apr. 6, Zelzal was disappointing when beating only two of his 13 rivals in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains back at Deauville last time May 15 but bounced back here to register a first black-type success in style. Reserved in last early by a confident Gregory Benoist as Moon Trouble set off in isolation with Mickael Barzalona taking no prisoners, the bay was able to creep closer to the strong pace in his own time. While the aggressive tactics on Moon Trouble proved ideal for seeing off everything else in the field, they only served to play into the hands of the classy Zelzal who swept by with just under 100 metres remaining en route to a comfortable success. “As I said had beforehand, he didn't run his race in the Poulains–he didn't handle the straight course and did not get the best trip but he was really good tonight,” trainer Jean-Claude Rouget commented. “There is still more room for improvement, as he didn't really start until February as he was a late-maturing horse. He is going for the [G1] Prix Jean Prat [at Chantilly July 10] and will then have a break over the summer. We'll see where we go again in the autumn.” Zelzal's second dam is a full-sister to three stakes producers who all hail from Michael Poland's G3 Lancashire Oaks winner and dual group 1-placed State Crystal (Ire) (High Estate {Ire}). She in turn is a half to three black-type scorers, most notably the G1 Fillies' Mile heroine Crystal Music (Nureyev), while the next dam Crystal Fountain (GB) (Great Nephew {GB}) is a half to the Epsom Derby hero Royal Palace (GB) and also the dam of the German group 2 winner Crystal Hearted (GB) (Broken Hearted {Ire}). Olga Prekrasa also has an as-yet unnamed 2-year-old filly by Redoute's Choice (Aus).
Saturday, Chantilly, France
PRIX PAUL DE MOUSSAC-G3, €80,000, CHY, 6-11, 3yo, c/g, 8fT, 1:35.43, gd.
1–#@ZELZAL (FR), 122, c, 3, by Sea the Stars (Ire)
1st Dam: Olga Prekrasa, by Kingmambo
2nd Dam: Opera Aida (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
3rd Dam: State Crystal (Ire), by High Estate (Ire)
(€180,000 Ylg '14 ARQOCT). O-Al Shaqab Racing; B-V Timoshenko (FR); T-Jean-Claude Rouget; J-Gregory Benoist. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 4 starts, 3 wins, 0 places, €69,500. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Moon Trouble (Ire), 122, c, 3, Lope de Vega (Ire)–Shake the Moon (Ger), by Loup Solitaire. (€45,000 Ylg '14 ARAUG). O-Olivier Thomas; B-Haras du Mezeray (IRE); T-Freddy Head. €16,000.
3–Degas (Ger), 122, c, 3, Exceed and Excel (Aus)–Diatribe (GB), by Tertullian. (€100,000 Ylg '14 BBAGS). O/B-Gestut Rottgen (GER); T-Markus Klug. €12,000.
Margins: 2HF, 2, HD. Odds: 3.70, 5.90, 2.70.
Also Ran: Hurricane (Fr), Siyounor (Fr), Kourkan (Fr), Ankle (Fr), Golden Nino (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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