22 August 2021
Photo scoopdyga.com
Sunday 22 August 2021, Deauville-La Touques Racecourse (Calvados). - Previously unlucky in the Richmond Stakes (Gr2) at Glorious Goodwood, the English raider Perfect Power (Ardad) got a peach of a ride by Belgian ace Christophe Soumillon in this 151st edition of the Darley Prix Morny (Gr1), the French Darley Series final. He won comfortably, beating the French colt Trident (Wootton Bassett), whom he joined 2 furlongs out after Soumillon decided to leave Irish raider's Velocidad (Gleneagles) trail. Disappointing in the Darley Prix de Cabourg (Gr2) after an impressive first win, Trident couldn't hold his rival for long but he finished second at a bit more than a length, ahead of Assymetric (Showcasing), the winner of the Richmond Stakes, who took the lead one out but was not able to keep up in the end.
Perfect Power is trained by Richard Fahey in Yorkshire for Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum. He was bought for £ 110,000 at Goffs Breeze-up sales in England. His Kodiac sister goes on sale in September at Goffs in Ireland. They come from a French family since the second dam is Saga Célèbre (Peintre Célèbre), a Aga Khan homebred out of a Lagardère-bred Saga d'Ouilly (Linamix)… She was sold for 170,000 € at the Goffs breeding sales after winning a maiden in Ireland.
What connections said
Christophe Soumillon (the jockey of Perfect Power, 1st)
"At the beginning, things didn’t pan out perfectly because I found myself a bit far back. Going to the final 600 metres, I had the choice of either challenging wide or coming alone with a run in the middle of the track. Honestly speaking, I trusted my instinct: I didn't try to think too much. On the inside, everyone seemed to be cantering and, when my horse reacted, he clicked into gear like a machine!"
Bruce Raymond (Racing Manager of Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum, the owner of Perfect Power, 1st)
"Perfect Power was very unlucky last time out in the Richmond Stakes: he had to alter course several times in a race with little pace, and that put paid to his chances. There was concern that he was quite far back when the sprint to the line began, but he responded well and his jockey rode a fantastic race: as he managed to steer his mount to the stands’ side rail, and the colt sprang to life. I am very happy for his owner, who is a gentleman, and the best owner you could hope to meet!"
Mickael Barzalona (the jockey of Trident, 2nd)
"I’m very happy. We had a great race: and, like the winner, he came from the back of the field. He has a very good temperament and is a real racehorse. I'm not surprised by this second place: I expected him to run very, very well, and he confirmed those impressions."
Martin Harley (the jockey of Asymmetric, 3rd)
"He ran well and travelled well during the race. My horse was a bit unsuited by the ground (too firm for his liking) before making his effort. We had a shower of rain an hour before the race. I thought it would help but it didn't as the ground dried out. With 200 metres to go, I really thought we were going to win. When I asked him to pick up, he couldn't change gear in this ground. However, it was a great performance. His next race will be the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes."