10 September 2021
Photo scoopdyga.com
Thursday, September 9, 2021, ParisLongchamp Racecourse (Paris). - Second in the Prix du Calvados (Gr3) at Deauville on a straight course, Fleur d'Iris (Shamardal) won the Prix d’Aumale (Gr3) on a turning course over the mile.
Change of tactics, too: isolated the last time by her rider to avoid pulling too much, Iris Fleur this time took the lead, on the bit. Finally, she gradually took off by the rail to win comfortably. Ridden in the rear, her stablemate at André Fabre's Zellie (Wootton Bassett), a Listed winner at Deauville and second in the Prix Six Perfections (Gr3), closed in fast and once again took second place. A non-runner in Deauville in the Critérium du Fond Européen de l'Elevage, Bahasa (Siyouni) finished third.
The stopwatch confirms the visual impression, that is the fillies went faster than the Prix des Chênes's colts: Fleur d'Iris won in 1'40 "43 while Ancient Rome took 1'42" 57 to beat his rivals. The front-running Fleur d'Iris progressively went from 12''67 fro 5 to 4 furlongs to 11'' in the 2nd last furlong before slowing down to complete the last 200 metres in 11''56. Zellie, on the other hand, ran the fastest furlong of the race in 10''77 from 2 to 1 out, when she went from ninth to seventh place. It took her 11''17 to reach second place in the final bit, i.e. around 4/10th faster than any of her opponents, including the winner.
If the French fillies hold a sensible entry in the Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac - Critérium des Pouliches (Gr1) on October 3 during the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe weekend, there is no double Prix d'Aumale - Prix Marcel Boussac (Gr1) since 1984. The best trial of a double goes to Helleborine in 2010 when the Observatory filly finished second in the Gr1.
Fleur d'Iris' dam Zara (Redattore) made a career in her homeland Brazil, where she is a double Gr1 winner. She was already owned by Godolphin. She concluded her racing career at the start of 2016, her first product was born in 2018: Zookeeper (Dubawi) is now pursuing a career in handicaps with Mark Johnston in England. Iris Flower is his second product.