Arenberg : Al Raya's experience pays off
Photo scoopdyga.com
Trained in England by Simon Crisford for Bahreïn Prince Nasser bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, 2yo filly Al Raya (Siyouni) was one of the most seasoned runners in the 5 furlongs Prix d’Arenberg (Gr3), on Saturday at Chantilly.
fast ahead from the start, the Pierre-Charles Boudot-ridden juvenile was never really challenged by her best rival, also trained in Britain, Divine Spirit (Kingman). The latter races for Godolphin, that si for the winning owner's father-in-law Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum !
Divine Spirit is beaten y less than a length while another British raider, Flaming Princess (Hot Streak) stayed on for the third lace after following the leaders.
Al Raya has just finished second in a Listed event at Newbury but had also finished fifth in the Queen Mary Stakes (Gr2) at Royal Ascot and fourth to Liberty Beach at Sandown.
Al Raya was paid £95,000 at the Goffs yearlings sale by Longways Stable, an Irish pinhooker who sold her at the breeze-up sales eight months later to Stroud&Coleman for £450,000. Her Muhaarar yearling sister has just been sold £170,000 to … Longways Stable! Their dam Fig Roll (Bahamian Bounty), a Listed-winner at 2, was also placed 4th in the Queen Mary Stakes (Gr2), one rank better then her own daughter. Her dam Cake (Acclamation), as it is, was also 5th in the « Queen Mary ». She won a Listed race at Newbury the following Summer and ran 10 times at 2 to yield about €56,000 in sterling. Lady Galore, 5th on Saturday after a bad trip but a Listed-winner at Vichy before, already made over €70,000, owners premiums including, in five outings, including two wins …
Al Raya had also made about € 56,000 before her Chantilly win in a French Gr3 that yields € 40,000. Just for the sake of comparison, Saturday at Sandown Park, the winner of the Solario Stakes (Gr3), another 2-year-old race, earned about € 31,400, with no premium. Had Al Raya been bred in France, her owner would have banked a 60% bonus, that is € 24 000, totalling € 64,000.