€80,000 Saint-Georges (Gr3): Ponntos, the bold sprinter

Sunday, May 12, 2024, ParisLongchamp Racecourse (Paris)—Two years after his first victory in this 5-furlong sprint, the Czech speedster Ponntos (Power) struck again at the €80,000 Prix de Saint-Georges (Gr3), winning effortlessly from start to finish with a 2.5-length lead over the runner-up, Makarova (Acclamation).

This time ridden by Mickaël Barzalona, whereas it was Lanfranco Dettori in 2022, the 6-year-old thus secured the 8th victory of his career, which began in the Czech Republic but has taken him to Germany, Italy, France, Slovakia, Dubai, England, and Abu Dhabi... He has only won beyond one thousand meters within the confines of former Czechoslovakia and in Italy, and the truncated kilometer of Longchamp suits him perfectly.

Ponntos was sold as a foal for €2,200 at Goffs in Ireland, then £6,800 the following year at Tattersalls. His younger brother by Zoffany fetched £11,000 one year later as a yearling, again at Tattersalls. Their dam, Blessing Box (Bahamian Bounty), is a full sister to the successful Bounty Box (Bahamian Bounty), a double Listed winner over 1,200 meters in Great Britain.