Fabre targets French Oaks with Pensee Du Jour

PA Sport Reporters
April 1, 2023 4:38 pm

Double delight at Saint-Cloud for master trainer.

Andre Fabre has Classic aspirations for Pensee Du Jour after the exciting filly maintained her unbeaten record with a thoroughly impressive display in the Group Three Prix Penelope at Saint-Cloud.

The daughter of Camelot made a big impression when making scoring by four lengths on her racecourse debut on the all-weather at Chantilly in February, and successfully stepped up to Listed class with a seven-length verdict at Saint-Cloud last month.

Pensee Du Jour was a hot favourite to complete her hat-trick under Bauyrzhan Murzabayev and was well on top as she passed the post clear of Andrew Balding’s Doncaster maiden winner Sea Of Roses, with Be Happy third for Aidan O’Brien.

She’s very good! Pensee Du Jour takes the Group 3 Prix Penelope and remains unbeaten for Bauyrzhan Murzabayev and André Fabre at Saint-Cloud… pic.twitter.com/QTyMdVpESr
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) April 1, 2023

Fabre considers the French Oaks at Chantilly an “obvious” target for the winner, but could first test her Group One credentials in the Prix Saint-Alary at ParisLongchamp on May 14.

He said: “She made the running, but is able to accelerate as well if needed.

“She has a huge action and I was pleased with her performance.

“The Prix de Diane (French Oaks) is an obvious target for a filly of this calibre. She might go for the Prix Saint-Alary in the meantime, but we’ll see.”

Fabre completed a big-race double in the Prix Edmond Blanc, with the Godolphin-owned Tribalist making a winning reappearance.

Group success for @godolphin and André Fabre! Tribalist beats The Revenant and Facteur Cheval in the G3 Prix Edmond Blanc under @mickaelbarzalon…
Angel Bleu beats just one home on his return to Saint-Cloud… pic.twitter.com/Ll6ho10y81
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) April 1, 2023

Popular veteran The Revenant was a warm order to claim back-to-back victories in the Group Three prize, while Ralph Beckett sent dual French Group One winner Angel Bleu back across the Channel.

As per usual The Revenant gave it his all, but Tribalist – third in last year’s French 2000 Guineas and subsequently victorious in Listed company – was well on top at the line in the hands of Mickael Barzalona. Angel Bleu was a disappointing sixth of seven.

“He’s always been a nice horse and has got stronger over the winter,” Fabre said of Tribalist.

“He needed a bit of time, but now he is quite strong you can make more use of him. I was quite pleased.

“There is a Group Two coming in a couple of weeks’ time that he could go for.”