Persian King stamps class on Prix d’Ispahan

Horse Racing

PA Sport Reporters
July 19, 2020 6:30 pm

Arc could come into the equation for Fabre-trained colt.

Persian King ran out a ready winner of the Prix d’Ispahan at Chantilly for Andre Fabre and Pierre-Charles Boudot.

Winner of the French Guineas last season and second in the French Derby, the Kingman colt missed the second half of the campaign.

Rusty when beaten on his reappearance by stablemate Magny Cours, who has subsequently won at Sandown, Persian King arrived for the Group One feature on the back of a win in the Prix du Muguet.

Charlie Hills’ Pogo set out to make all under Kieren Shoemark and was allowed an easy time on the front end, with Stormy Antarctic and Persian King settled in behind.

In truth nothing else got into the race as Persian King cruised into the lead before drawing clear and Ed Walker’s veteran Stormy Antarctic outran his huge odds to claim second, with Pogo sticking on for third.

The other British-based runners, Roseman, Century Dream and Positive, were never able to get in a blow.

Anthony Stroud, racing manager for Ballymore Thoroughbred Ltd who own the winner jointly with Godolphin, told Sky Sports Racing: “I was pleased with him, I thought he did it well. This was his third start back after a long time off, but he was back in a Group One so I was very pleased with the way he did it.

“I think the Arc has to be a possibility, but it depends on Andre and the owners. In the French Derby last year, I’m not making excuses, but he was drawn on the wide outside, came round a lot of horses and also got injured in the race so you couldn’t say he was beaten by the trip that day. His family suggests he would stay.

“I think you just have to pick the right races and go for them – having been off for over a year he ran in a Listed, won a Group Two and now a Group One. He was very good at two and has a lot of talent.

“There’s the Jacques le Marois or we could stretch him to a mile and a quarter, but I think it depends what the trainer and the two owners want.”

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