18 August 2019
Photo scoopdyga.com
Eight years after Dabirsim's win in the Darley Prix Morny (Gr1), the Juveniles' European championship at the Deauville Summer meeting, a colt trained in France, Earthlight (Shamardal), is crowned champion 2yo over the race's straight 6 furlongs-trip. Trained by André Fabre for Godolphin and ridden by Mickaël Barzalona, Earthlight was undefeated in three outings going into the race, including the Darley Prix de Cabourg (Gr2), another round of the Darley Series, on the same course of 6 furlongs. The main difference was that the ground was heavier, and this is was of the hottest renewals of a race that is usually overwhelmingly favourable to British and Irish youngsters, better equipped to cope with the mayhem. Earthlight may actually dislike a yielding turf, but that did not stop him from overcoming his best rival, Raffle Prize (Slade Power), after she led the race at a furious pace. She actually comes back from this defeat greater than she was, because she made all, and only an exceptional individual could wear her down, only to win by a neck.
Always well placed, another English raider, Golden Horde (Lethal Force), finished third at two and a half lengths.
Earthlight's dam, Winters Moon (New Approach), was very good at 2 for trainer Saeed bin Suroor. She finished third in the Fillies' Mile (Gr1). At 3, she started with a third place behind Star of Seville, a future winner of the Prix de Diane (French Oaks, Gr1), then failed twice before the summer and never ran again. Earthlight is her first foal.
Her own dam, Summertime Legacy (Darshaan), bred by the late Sheik Maktoum Al Maktoum through Gainsborough Stud, was trained by André Fabre. She won the Prix des Réservoirs (Gr3) at 2 and finished third the year next in the Prix Saint-Alary (Gr1). She is the dam of Wavering (Refuse to Bend) and Mandean (Manduro), both Group 1 winners