Lazzat set for Goodwood raid after fifth straight win

PA Sport Reporters
June 9, 2024 3:57 pm

Connections now eyeing Lennox or Sussex Stakes for unbeaten gelding.

Jerome Reynier’s Lazzat could be headed to Goodwood later this summer having maintained his unbeaten record in the Prix Paul de Moussac at ParisLongchamp.

The gelded son of Territories is now unbeaten in five after successfully following up his stylish win in Deauville’s Prix Djebel to notch up a second Group Three triumph of the season.

Despite a narrow winning margin in the French capital, he was always doing enough in the hands of Antonio Orani to hold off runner-up Havana Cigar at the finish.

Lazzat could now follow in the footsteps of Reynier’s stable star Facteur Cheval and head to Goodwood for the Sussex track’s big summer Festival.

“It is amazing to keep the horse unbeaten,” Reynier told Sky Sports Racing.

“On his fifth start, Facteur Cheval lost his unbeaten record in Deauville, so we wanted to do better than Facteur Cheval and I hope for Lazzat he will have the same future.

A future Group 1 horse? 👀
Lazzat toughs it out to land the feature Prix Paul de Moussac for @EcurieReynier… pic.twitter.com/NiTAPKa1K4
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 9, 2024

“He will probably be going to England now to Goodwood. There is the Lennox or Sussex Stakes, or we can keep him in France for the Prix Maurice de Gheest, because he won over the straight course at Deauville in the Prix Djebel. He would have to face some really good sprinters in the Prix Maurice de Gheest.”

He went on: “It’s really tricky to bring a horse to the boil every two months for a big race, but we didn’t have much choice, it was either this or the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot. Because he has the French premiums, financially it wasn’t a bad move to stay in France.

“He is a gelding so he is not eligible for the Prix Jean Prat unfortunately, so he will have to wait for England or the Prix Maurice de Gheest.”

While British racing fans may get a glimpse of Lazzat in the very near future, the three-year-old could grace Australia with his presence later in the year if owner Nurlan Bizakov has his wish.

Reynier continued: “He could have a big target at the end of the year and I know his owner would love to take him to Sydney for the Golden Eagle. But that is very far away and we will see after his next start how good he will really be.”

Earlier on the card, there was an impressive display from Andre Fabre’s Hamavi in the Listed Prix Ridgway.

Hamavi bounces back! 👏
An assured performance from @maximeguyon_off‘s charge, who breezes past Casapueblo and Soldier’s Gold for victory in the Prix Ridgway… pic.twitter.com/JuIQ5vjqnq
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 9, 2024

The son of Dubawi was second to Prix du Jockey Club hero Look De Vega on his previous start and could have a bright future having regained the winning thread.

“This was good and the pace was a little bit strong for my horse, but he has come through easily to win,” said winning jockey Maxime Guyon.

“Last time, he was just beaten by Look De Vega and we will see what he can do after. My horse is a good horse and I think it would be much better for him if he went for a more long-distance campaign.”

Guyon registered a quick-fire double when steering Rose Jaipur to victory in the Listed Prix Melisande, while there was a shock in the Group three La Coupe, when one-time Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe fourth Al Hakeem was denied a winning return by Carlos and Yann Lerner’s unfancied Calif.