€80,000 Exbury: Haya Zark fires first

Saturday, March 18, 2023, Saint-Cloud Racecourse (Hauts-de-Seine) - The €80,000 Prix Exbury (Gr3), the first Group event of the French flat season, was won by 24/1 shot Haya Zark (Zarak). The 4-year-old thus provides his trainer, Adrien Fouassier, with his first Group win after giving him his first listed trophy last year. He travelled near the front-runners and closed in with ease halfway down the straight. Shifted by Christophe Soumillon, he then pulled away to secure a clear victory, three lengths ahead of his rivals.

The race's favourite, the 2021 renewal winner Skalleti (Kendargent), took second place. Also third last year, Jean-Claude Seroul's representative put up a good fight. Biding his time, he joined the leading group in the final phase. After taking a breather, he showed courage to stay ahead of Kertez (Intello).

Promising at 3, Haya Zark (Zarak) had competed with the likes of Erevann (Dubawi), third in the Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard - Jacques le Marois (Gr1) and winner of the Qatar Prix Daniel Wildenstein (Gr2). After stepping up in distance, he finished fourth in the Prix Greffulhe (Gr2), won by the champion Onesto (Frankel). Unseen since July, Adrien Fouassier's charge impressed in his return and offers great prospects for his connections in 2023.

Bred by his owner, Odette Fau, Haya Zark is a son of Zarak (Dubawi) and Haya City (Elusive City), who was unable to make her mark in three outings. Haya Zark is her first winner. His second dam, Haya Samma (Pivotal), did not race. At stud, she gave the stout Haya Landa (Lando), third in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (Gr1) and in the Prix de la Nonette (Gr2), and second in the Prix Allez France (Gr3), as well as Haya of Fortune (Soldier of Fortune), third in the Critérium de l'Ouest (L).