Kingman in Fine Fettle for Jacques Le Marois
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Trainer John Gosden has declared 3-year-old Kingman in peak fitness ahead of his bid for a fourth consecutive top-level win in the Prix du Haras de Fresnay-Le-Buffard Jacques Le Marois (Fr-I) Aug. 17 at Deauville.
The 1,600-meter (about one mile) contest drew six entrants, including recent group I winner Olympic Glory and standout fillies Rizeena and Esoterique. The race offers the winner an automatic starting berth in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) later this year at Santa Anita Park.
Kingman takes on older runners for the second straight time following his one-length triumph over Toronado in the July 30 QIPCO Sussex Stakes (Eng-I) at Goodwood. He was a half-length behind Night of Thunder when second in QIPCO Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-I), but came back and won the Irish equivalent at the Curragh by five lengths.
The success was the start of a three-race win streak that saw Kingman come back and avenge his loss to Night of Thunder by 2 1/4 lengths in the St. James's Palace Stakes (Eng-I) at Royal Ascot prior to the Sussex.
"Kingman is in better shape than ever and gave the best feel he's ever done this morning," Gosden told Racing Post. "He's only a 3-year-old and is getting stronger as the season goes on."
Al Shaqab Racing's Olympic Glory captured Newbury's May 17 JLT Lockinge (Eng-I) at Newbury at the Jacques Le Marois distance. The 4-year-old's stablemate Toronado found Kingman too strong in the Sussex, and trainer Richard Hannon takes another crack at Europe's top miler with Olympic Glory, who was a nose behind trainer Freddy Head's Moonlight Cloud in last year's edition of the race. The colt enters off a fourth-place finish behind Cirrus des Aigles in the May 25 Prix d'Ispahan (Fr-I) at Longchamp.
Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum's Rizeena looks to rebound following her second to Integral in the QIPCO Falmouth Stakes (Eng-I) July 11 at Newmarket. Trained by Clive Britain, the 3-year-old filly disappointed in the QIPCO One Thousand Guineas (Eng-I) in May at Newmarket but came back and won at Royal Ascot in the June 20 Coronation Stakes (Eng-I).
Edouard de Rothschild's 4-year-old Esoterique looks for a second straight group I win after taking the Prix Rothschild (Fr-I) at same course and distance as the Jacques Le Marios, defeating Miss France and Integral.
Head, a six-time winner of the Jacques Le Marois—three times as a trainer and on three occasions as a jockey—sends out Alain and Gerard Wertheimer's 4-year-old Andoin, who is seeking a group I breakthrough after finishing second to in the Prix d'Ispahan and third behind Toronado and Verrazano in the Queen Anne Stakes (Eng-I) at Royal Ascot.
Rounding out the field is Zalim Bifov's Red Dubawi, a group-winning miler twice this season in Germany for trainer Erika Mader.
Prix du Haras de Fresnay-Le-Buffard Jacques Le Marois (Fr-I), Aug. 17, 3YO&Up, no geldings, 1,600 meters (abt. one mile), Deauville
No. PP. Horse (Where Bred) (Sire), Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. 4. Olympic Glory (IRE) (Choisir), F. Dettori, 130, Richard Hannon
2. 5 Red Dubawi (IRE) (Dubawi), E. Hardouin, 130, E. Mader
3. 3 Anodin (IRE) (Anabaa), O. Peslier, 130, F. Head
4. 2 Esoterique (IRE) (Danehill Dancer), M. Guyon, 126, A. Fabre
5. 1. Kingman (GB) (Invincible Spirit), J. Doyle, 125, J. Gosden
6. 6. Rizeena (IRE) (Iffraaj), R. Moore, 121, C. Brittain