Zarkava wins, remains on target for the Arc
DiscreetCat
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from Bloodhorse:
Undefeated Zarkava gave the Qatar Prix Vermeille (Fr-I) field a good head start and still ran off with a two-length victory for her sixth consecutive victory Sept. 14 at Longchamp.
The exceptional 3-year-old filly was already the favorite Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) Oct. 5. She did nothing to tarnish her reputation after giving her rivals a six-length start leaving the stalls in the 1 1/2-mile event for fillies and mares and lagging four lengths last after the first furlong. With ease, Christophe Soumillon was able to move the Aga Khan filly to the far outside for her unimpeded rally over the final quarter mile. They grabbed the lead with 60 yards to go and won going away over Dar Re Mi.
Asked afterward if he was concerned at all, Soumillon merely shrugged. "I never worry when I ride a filly like that," he told Racing Post. "I knew I was on the best filly in the race."
Winning trainer Alain de Royer Dupre added, "You are always worried when a horse starts like that but she was very relaxed today," he said.
This was Zarkava's first attempt at 1 1/2 miles and her initial try against older fillies and mares. She won both the French One Thousand Guineas (Fr-I) and the French Oaks (Fr-I) this spring.
Adored, one three saddled by Aidan O'Brien's for the Vermeille, set out quickly to lead them and was still six lengths clear in the straight as Zarkava continued to trail. But she tired quickly in the last 200 yards as Dar Re Mi hit the front only to be swallowed up seconds later by the refreshed Zarkava. Dar Re Mi edged Treat Gently for second, with Michita, a daughter of Dynaformer bred by Stonerside Stable, finishing fourth.
The final time, 2:26 over good going, was a stakes record.
In three weeks time, the The daughter of Zamindar is expected to attempt to become the first filly since Urban Sea in 1993 to triumph in the Arc.
Undefeated Zarkava gave the Qatar Prix Vermeille (Fr-I) field a good head start and still ran off with a two-length victory for her sixth consecutive victory Sept. 14 at Longchamp.
The exceptional 3-year-old filly was already the favorite Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) Oct. 5. She did nothing to tarnish her reputation after giving her rivals a six-length start leaving the stalls in the 1 1/2-mile event for fillies and mares and lagging four lengths last after the first furlong. With ease, Christophe Soumillon was able to move the Aga Khan filly to the far outside for her unimpeded rally over the final quarter mile. They grabbed the lead with 60 yards to go and won going away over Dar Re Mi.
Asked afterward if he was concerned at all, Soumillon merely shrugged. "I never worry when I ride a filly like that," he told Racing Post. "I knew I was on the best filly in the race."
Winning trainer Alain de Royer Dupre added, "You are always worried when a horse starts like that but she was very relaxed today," he said.
This was Zarkava's first attempt at 1 1/2 miles and her initial try against older fillies and mares. She won both the French One Thousand Guineas (Fr-I) and the French Oaks (Fr-I) this spring.
Adored, one three saddled by Aidan O'Brien's for the Vermeille, set out quickly to lead them and was still six lengths clear in the straight as Zarkava continued to trail. But she tired quickly in the last 200 yards as Dar Re Mi hit the front only to be swallowed up seconds later by the refreshed Zarkava. Dar Re Mi edged Treat Gently for second, with Michita, a daughter of Dynaformer bred by Stonerside Stable, finishing fourth.
The final time, 2:26 over good going, was a stakes record.
In three weeks time, the The daughter of Zamindar is expected to attempt to become the first filly since Urban Sea in 1993 to triumph in the Arc.
Comments
The third running of this since it was opened up to mares, and the biggest field of the three trials. Rather unusually the sexiest name on show today took her chance here in the shape of ZARKAVA who has been towards the head of the Arc betting pretty much since the lists went up. Although the likes of Aquarelliste and Leggera have gone on after winning this in recent seasons to finish in the frame in the Arc, you have to go back to Three Troikas in 1979 to find the last winner of this race to win it. On the evidence of what we saw today though, that run could well be coming to an end soon, as Zarkava put up an astonishing performance to stretch her unbeaten record to six, posting by far the quickest time of the trials in the process, and setting a new race record at the same time. There had been doubts about whether she would stay this extra trip, and after allegedly failing to sparkle in her work at home on Tuesday, there were at least some reasons to suggest that her bubble may be burst here. When she was left fully six lengths after totally fluffing the start, another tick went in the negative column. None of that mattered however, as despite the fact she was still last of the 12 turning in, she had no trouble at all in picking these up, and after making headway a furlong and a half out, she swooped to the front half a furlong from home, and was eased down as they crossed the line. The bookmakers were suitably impressed, and she is now just 6-4 with Betfred and Stan James for the Arc. She certainly laid down a serious marker to her opposition, and having shown that she can see out this trip, she will be hard to beat in three weeks' time if able to repeat this effort.