Critérium de Maisons-Laffitte: Malavath at full speed

October 9, 2021, Chantilly Racecourse (Oise). - Twice placed and before a maiden win on the very course and distance of this Critérium de Maisons-Laffitte (Gr2), three weeks later, Malavath (Mehmas) nevertheless mastered the test. She followed the early leaders, who were the British raider Gis a Sub (Acclamation), only colt facing five fillies here, and the Cheveley Park Stakes (Gr1) 7th Have A Good Day (Adaay), and took over at full speed in the last hundred yards to prevail safely, with a neck to spare over a brave Have A Good Day. Gis a Sub, however, finished last. A further length behind came the 3rd-placed  Desert Dream (Oasis Dream), 5th at Newmarket.

The sectional timing seems to reveal that it was difficult to come back from the rear, even in such a small field. Gis a Sub's failure looks too dramatic to be accurate.

Malavath is out of Fidaaha (New Approach), bred by Jim Bolger and sold for € 200,000 to Shadwell as a yearling, since she was a sister to Ceisteach, winner of a Group 3, but also to Steip Amach (Vocalized), also a Group 3-winner, and twice Gr1-placed at Deauville in the Rothschild and the Romanet. It is an Aga Khan family tracing back to Shergar. However, Fidaaha was unplaced 4 times and sold for € 15,000 to Tally-Ho Stud, who consigned Malavath as a yearling at Doncaster. Bought for £ 29,000 by Star Bloodstock, she was sold again at the Arqana breeze-up sale for € 139,200 to David Redvers and Meridian International.

Malavath's full brother is in the next Tattersalls yearling sale, two days after his prestigious victory of his sister …