Joy for Condon as Laws of Indices Wins Prix Jean Prat

Laws of Indices  gave Ken Condon a second group 1 success on the Deauville dragstrip when springing a 29-1 surprise in the Haras d'Etreham Prix Jean Prat (G1) under a cool ride from Olivier Peslier July 11.

Condon has fond memories of the Normandy coast from the success of Romanised  in the 2019 Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois (G1) and although he had to watch on from Fairyhouse this time, it became obvious early in the race that the son of Power  was traveling ominously well at the head of the larger group which elected to race down the center of the track. 

Thunder Moon  came out of the pack to throw down a determined challenge under Maxime Guyon but Laws of Indices was able to conjure one final effort to prevail by a head, with Midtown  the best of the home defense in third.

Condon said: "One of the owners asked what I told Olivier to do and I just said, 'you don't tell Olivier Peslier what to do.' He'd done his homework, he'd watched all his races, and he just said, 'I'll see how I jump and I'll take it from there.'

"It worked out beautifully and when he got to the two (furlong pole) I thought we had a chance. He was headed it looked like and then battled back."

Like plenty of top-class horses who are ideally suited by seven furlongs, Laws of Indices has been caught somewhat in no-man's land in the early part of the season waiting for this race, although an end-of-season campaign that could take in the Prix de la Foret (G1) on Arc day, then the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile Presented by PDJF (G1T) at Del Mar, means the wait will have been worth it.

"It's tremendous," said Condon. "He was an eight grand yearling, a son of Power. He got a little bit bogged down in Ascot on very soft ground the other day (in the Commonwealth Cup, G1), but he'd run very well in the Guineas Trial first run back and I knew then he had trained on because he was trying to give Poetic Flare  three pounds with a group 2 penalty.

"It's a race that's worked out very well with plenty of winners coming out of it."

Condon added: "He was sneaking in a little bit under the radar but the owners are five friends and they've never been afraid to take a chance. Even though he was a big price we were hopeful he could run in the top four, so to win is amazing; we're thrilled. 

"I think seven is his trip and the Prix de la Foret at the end of the year would be a nice target for him, while a horse with his kind of profile and his blend of pace they often run well in a Breeders' Cup Mile. But I think in Europe seven is perfect for him." 

Peslier won his first group 1 in the Jean Prat on the Nicolas Clement-trained Le Balafre in 1993 and was pocketing the prize for a fifth time.

Peslier said: "I wanted to stay in the middle. We were drawn 7 and I wanted to stay there, not go near the stands because when I walked the track I saw the ground was better where I was.

"He can be lazy when he starts, but started well today because the trip was longer. He traveled well and we accelerated, and then he fought well."

After struggling in both the QIPCO Two Thousand Guineas (G1) and the St. James's Palace Stakes (G1), Thunder Moon returned to somewhere near his excellent 2-year-old form and Joseph O'Brien will be able to plan the second half of the season with confidence.

Andre Fabre considered Midtown the best of his 3-year-olds in the spring before a setback ruled him out of the classics. 

He traveled well at the back of the main pack and showed a fine turn of foot to get to the leader, before just being run out of it in the final 100 yards.

Godolphin's Lisa-Jane Graffard said: "We're thrilled with third place after Midtown had missed eight months. We think he's a very good horse and Monsieur Fabre has done an outstanding job to get him here in such good shape. He is sure to progress from here."