3 October 2020
Photo scoopdyga.com
Saturday, October 3, 2020, ParisLongchamp. - On a heavy ground supposedly favouring specialists, the favourites did well in this first of the two Qatar Arc de Triomphe weekend meetings. The returning The Revenant (Dubawi) was odds-on to win another Qatar Prix Daniel Wildenstein (Gr2) mile.
Owned by Al Asayl and trained at Chantilly by Francis-Henri Graffard, he hadn't had a run in 350 days … He had finished 2nd in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Gr1) at Ascot last time out, following his romp in this very race!
Ridden by Pierre-Charles Boudot, he travelled in the rear but never looked in trouble in the home stretch, even though he had to outstay a resolute Ziegfeld (New Approach), who was trying to win a third consecutive race.
The Revenant began his career across the Channel and joined Francis Graffard's stables in September 2018. He has now won eight races in France and Germany in ten outings ... He was bred by his owner, Al Asayl, who owns his dam, Hazel Lavery (Excellent Art), winner of the St Simon Stakes (Gr3) in England, who gave a filly by Kingman and another by Oasis Dream now 2 and also in training with Graffard. A Saxon Warrior filly was born this year.
The Revenant a commencé sa carrière outre-Manche et a rejoint les écuries cantiliennes de Francis Graffard en septembre 2018. Il a depuis gagné huit courses en dix sorties… Il a été élevé par son propriétaire, Al Asayl, qui détient sa mère, Hazel Lavery (Excellent Art), gagnante des St Simon Stakes (Gr3) en Angleterre qui a donné une pouliche par Kingman, une autre par Oasis Dream âgée de 2 ans et à l’entraînement chez Francis-Henri Graffard, et enfin une pouliche par Saxon Warrior née cette année.
What they said
- Francis-Henri Graffard (trainer of The Revenant, 1st)
“He is one of the horses we don’t run that often. Getting a horse ready to run is already complicated enough and even more so with good horses like him, you need other good ones to go with them and without putting too much stress on them either. I am happy with that. His exercise rider knows him off by heart and assured me he was as well as when winning this last year. I was still a bit stressed but now I’m relieved. He is a super horse. We missed the early part of the season but we respected him and now he is paying us back.”
- Pierre-Charles Boudot (jockey of The Revenant, 1st)
“Last year he won this race very impressively, but that was after o five months break. But today it was almost a year since his last race. Apart from that, this was a great win and Ziegfield is a good horse too. I am happy with that for a comeback run and the horse still has a bit of work to do, he is still a bit round. He should come on a bit for that. Today he was favourite and he confirmed his place in the market there, he is a top-quality horse.”
- Lisa-Jane Graffard, representative in France for Godolphin (owner of Ziegfeld, 2nd)
“He will keep progressing and he has already progressed to finish second there, we are very proud of him. Mr Fabre loves him because he has an excellent temperament and is very brave. 1,600m on the heavy ground stretched him to the limit and he will be better back over 1.400m. He goes in all conditions and we will now have a discussion with his trainer to decide the future plans.”
- Freddy Head (trainer of Motamarris, 3rd)
“There is nothing to add, he has run well and tried his very best. Turning in he looked completely beaten but he kept going to get third because he is very brave.”