Gontaut-Biron Hong Kong Jockey Club: Wally's way

Sunday, August 14, 2022, Deauville-La Touques Racecourse (Calvados). – As usual, Wally (Siyouni), a 5-year-old gelding, was held at the rear of the field to preserve his finishing burst of speed in this Prix Gontaut-Biron Hong Kong Jockey Club (Gr3), a 1m2f race for aged horses. Once again, these tactics worked, and the only horse in training owned by the French Trotting supremo, Jean-Pierre Barjon, took over the front-runner and favourite Majestic Dawn (Dawn Approach) to fight him off to the wire. And so the British raider had to settle for second place at a short neck, a good length ahead of the third-placed Monty (Motivator), who had followed the winner along the rail from the beginning and kept him under pressure all the way.

Bred by Ecurie Haras du Cadran, SAS IEI and the Lerners, Wally has earned over €500,000 in winnings and bonuses for his fourth season on the racecourses, recording his tenth win. He had also already won this race in 2021, beating Monty by a short head when giving him 4lbs. The form stands well!

Wally was bought as a yearling for €130,000 and then unsold at the 2020 Arc sale et €140,000.

After Wally, her first foal, his dam Full of Beauty (Motivator), second of the Italian Oaks (Gr2), gave Silver Lining (Caravaggio), a winner at Clairefontaine, and a Le Havre filly sold last year at Arqana for € 200,000 to Oceanic Bloodstock. An Almanzor colt was born last year.