Godolphin tasted victory on French Derby day when the very smart Manatee finished powerfully to prevail in the Grand Prix de Chantilly under a well-judged ride from Mickael Barzalona.
Godolphin tasted victory on French Derby day when the very smart Manatee finished powerfully to prevail in the Grand Prix de Chantilly under a well-judged ride from Mickael Barzalona.
He won by three quarters of a length from Prince Gibraltar, with a further length and three-quarters back to Agent Murphy a very solid third on ground that had just turned a fraction soft underfoot following persistent rain.
The Fabre-trained Manatee has now won four of his six starts, with the promise of more wins to come.
As a romantic tale of the Turf, it would be hard to beat the triumph of New Bay in the French Derby at Chantilly.
Ridden by the reigning French champion jumps jockey Vincent Cheminaud, this son of Darley stallion Dubawi stormed down the outside late to land the Prix du Jockey-Club in the manner of a top horse in the making and is among the favourites for the Arc in October.
At 21, Cheninaud had already found fame as a champion over jumps and also ridden the winner of the coveted Grand Steeple de Paris on chaser Storm Of Saintly.
But he capped it all by winning his first Group One on lightly-raced New Bay, a colt who displayed glimpses of his owner Khalid Abdulla's great middle-distance star of three decades ago, Dancing Brave, in flashing home from second last on the home bend to register a memorable victory. He won by a length and a half, drawing clear.
It was the second consecutive time he had given the leaders a 'start' of 12 lengths and more coming into the home straight in a Classic.
Trainer Andre Fabre said he had no doubt New Bay would stay a mile and a half. The colt is by Dubawi out of a Zamindar mare but has stamina in his pedigree, according to Lord Grimthorpe, the racing manger.
New Bay's immediate options are Longchamp's Grand Prix de Paris and York's Juddmonte International.
Highland Reel ran a much better race for second this time, improving significantly on his French Guineas effort, while War Dispatch ran with promise to be a length and three-quarters away third, with Piment Rouge a head back in fourth and Sumbal a length adrift of him in fifth.
Both Karaktar (8th) and Silverwave (9th) ran below their best, finishing well back.
