€80,000 Darley Prix des Réservoirs (Gr3): Gezora finds her good spot

Chantilly, France – October 21, 2024 – Second in last year's €80,000 Darley Prix des Réservoirs (Gr3), Aventure finished in the same position this year in both the Qatar Prix Vermeille (Gr1) and the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Gr1). This Group 3 race for 2-year-old fillies, run over the mile sixteen days after the Prix Marcel Boussac (Gr1), therefore has its merits.

This year, we witnessed a very clear victory by a French filly, Gezora (Almanzor), bred by Haras d'Étreham and out of the champion Germance (Silver Hawk). Gezora had already won her race, on her second start, at Dieppe over 9 furlongs, where she had debuted over a shorter distance in July. She was not entered in the Prix Marcel Boussac but in the Prix de Condé (Gr3), against the males, again over 9f, where she could not quite catch the English winner (although born in Germany), Lazy Griff.

This time, the Nicolas Le Roch trainee took the initiative herself and kept the English favourite, Sandtrap (Lope de Vega), at bay. Sandtrap had just debuted with a victory at Salisbury and did not have the best trip here. Nearly two lengths separated the first two, and the third-place finisher, D'ores et Déjà (Zarak), was more than three lengths further back.

Winner of the Prix Saint-Alary (Gr1) and second in the Prix de Diane in 2006, Germance has produced six winners from twelve foals, and Gezora is the latest. Only Garance (Teofilo) had previously earned black type in this family, placing three times in Listed races at age 3, despite having all the classic engagements.