By Tom Frary
Godolphin is stacked full of class acts to illuminate 2019 and their stellar start to the campaign continued apace in Wednesday's G3 Prix Djebel at Maisons-Laffitte, when Munitions (War Front) nosed out Graignes (Fr) (Zoffany {Ire}) to provide Andre Fabre with a fifth renewal of the seven-furlong Classic trial. Last seen finishing fourth in the 5 1/2-furlong Listed Yacowlef at Chantilly in November, the 27-10 favourite tracked the stand's-side leader Amilcar (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) before taking over from that rival approaching the furlong pole. Tackled by the G1 Criterium International third Graignes from there, the bay clung on to prevail in a bobber with Amilcar sticking on to be 1 1/2 lengths further behind in third.
Godolphin's Lisa-Jane Graffard said, “We were delighted the victory of Munitions, who is now unbeaten in three starts at Maisons-Laffitte. Andre Fabre said last year that Munitions wouldn't look out of place in a two-year-old race at Royal Ascot. He didn't quite show that precocity and can be a little workmanlike in his wins, but he stands up to training and racing well so hopefully he is now ready to take another step up in class. Andre Fabre will wait and see some of the other Classic trials this weekend before deciding where to go next with Munitions, although there would be a question mark about him stepping up to a mile.”
Munitions had won twice here in September and October before finishing second in the Listed Prix Zeddaan over six furlongs at Deauville in October and fourth in the Yacowlef which was probably too sharp for him at that stage. His ill-fated dam War Echo was successful in the GIII Silverbulletday S. and third in the GII Golden Rod S. and was a half to the GI Forego S.-winning sire Pyro (Pulpit) and a full-sister to Farrier who was runner-up in the G1 Jebel Hatta. She was also connected to the sires Wild Wonder, Olympio, Cuvee and Will He Shine.
Wednesday, Maisons-Laffitte, France
PRIX DJEBEL-G3, €80,000, Maisons-Laffitte, 4-10, 3yo, c/g, 7fT, 1:25.57, g/s.
1–MUNITIONS, 128, c, 3, by War Front">War Front
1st Dam: War Echo (GSW-US, $284,387), by Tapit
2nd Dam: Wild Vision, by Wild Again
3rd Dam: Carol's Wonder, by Pass te Tab
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. ($550,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP). O-Godolphin SNC; B-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Andre Fabre; J-Mickael Barzalona. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 5-3-1-0, €93,500. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Graignes (Fr), 128, c, 3, Zoffany (Ire)–Grey Anatomy (GB), by Slickly (Fr). (€40,000 Ylg '17 AROCT; €90,000 2yo '18 ARQMAY). O-Gerard Augustin-Normand; B-Ecurie Euroling (FR); T-Yann Barberot. €16,000.
3–Amilcar (Ire), 128, c, 3, Wootton Bassett (GB)–Drosia (Ire), by King's Best. (€8,000 RNA Wlg '16 ARQDEC; €32,000 RNA Ylg '17 AROCT). O/B-Emadadein Alhtoushi (IRE); T-Henri-Alex Pantall. €12,000.
Margins: NO, 1HF, HF. Odds: 2.70, 3.30, 4.70.
Also Ran: Toijk (Fr), Marie's Diamond (Ire), Pretty Boy (Ire), Harmless (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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