€80,000 Fontainebleau: American Flag flies high

Sunday, April 16, 2023, ParisLongchamp Racecourse (Paris). – Odds-on favourite of the Prix de Fontainebleau (Gr3) after dominating the Omnium (L), American Flag (Wootton Bassett) repeated even more impressively over this Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2,000 Guineas, Gr1) prep race. Held back until 2 furlongs out in a race reduced to five runners after two withdrawals, American Flag passed by the field to win by two and a half lengths in front of Marhaba Ya Sanafi (Muhaarar), who had also taken over from the leader Royal Shake (Kingman). Also well-regarded for his comeback, Rajapour (Almanzor) finished third at a short neck after a breather at half straight, which ended when he was passed by the future winner.

Entered in the Emirates Poule d'Essai and the Qatar Prix du Jockey Club, American Flag is the seventh foal out of Tres Americanqueen (American Post), who ran fourteen times and was unable to win, even twice in claimers at the end of her career, at three over the Deauville all-weather.

She gave four winners before him, including two still in training. The colt was bought for 102,000 € as a yearling by bloodstock agent Paul Nataf at the Arqana sales in August ‘21. His one-year-old younger Night of Thunder brother is in training with Jean-Claude Rouget for Chevotel, who bred the winner and his dam, a descendant of a good German family that succeeded in Japan.