'Blessing' Wins Tragedy-Marred De Gheest
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Signs of Blessing set the pace and was virtually unchallenged through the final furlong for a clear win the Prix Maurice de Gheest (Fr-I), a race that was marred by the fatal breakdown of former Hong Kong champion miler Gold-Fun Aug. 7 at Deauville.
A 5-year-old son of Invincible Spirit ridden by Stephane Pasquier for France-based trainer Francois Rohaut, Signs of Blessing scored his first group I win and covered about 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.74 on turf rated as good.
Donjuan Triumphant finished second, 1 1/4 lengths behind the winner, with Jimmy Two Times third, just a neck back.
A 7-year-old Le Vie Dei Colori gelding owned by Sutong Pan, Gold-Fun fell inside the final furlong just as Christophe Soumillon asked for his best effort. Soumillon walked off the course, apparently unhurt, but took off his mount in the following race.
No Hong Kong-trained horse has ever won in France, but Sunday's race looked particularly suited to Gold-Fun after his good neck second to Twilight Son in the Royal Ascot's Diamond Jubilee (Eng-I) June 18 last time out. He outfinished Signs of Blessing, who came in third that day, and was doing his best work at the end of Ascot's six-furlong straight. With the extra 100 meters down the Deauville straight course, the Maurice de Gheest appeared ideal for him before tragedy struck.
Rohaut told Racing Post the decision to geld Isabelle Corbani's Signs of Blessing last year had paid off.
"This horse has always shown a huge amount of promise and I am delighted he has been able to make good on it today," he said. "Things didn't go well last year, but this proves we made the right decision to geld him.
"He will have a break and then go back to Ascot. If all goes well, he could go to Hong Kong after that."
Signs of Blessing was bred by in Ireland by Serge Boucheron from unraced Sun Bittern. He added to the legacy of his broodmare sire Seeking the Gold, as the 26th group I or grade I winner from daughters by Claiborne Farm's pensioned sire, who was euthanized at age 31 July 28 because of the infirmities of old age.