Malleret: A New Babylone

July 14, 2021, ParisLongchamp Racecourse (Paris). - The Prix de Malleret (Gr2) has become the female version of the Grand Prix de Paris, which is held on the same course, distance and card on French Bastille day. Ten 3yo fillies met at the start with the Aga Khan's Khalidiya (Oasis Dream) as the favourite. She'd been unlucky in the Prix de Diane Longines (Gr1), also as the favourite. here, pulling behind the leaders, she was unable to gain some ground and certainly to hold the winning effort of Babylone (Invincible Spirit) in a race that favoured the closers. With a 9 draw, Mickaël Barzalona opted for a slow start with Babylone and he even let Cima Star (Sea the Stars), in front of him by the rail, take a few lengths on his ride. Then he moved forward progressively in the last 4 furlongs and finally beat another closer, Adhafera (Sea The Stars), who had trailed the field, by a neck. The 3rd-placed Ricla (Adlerflug) had travelled in 7th place.

Yet, the front runner Anasia (Intello) did not seem to have galloped that fast, but the holding ground might have had some effect on the front-runners. Unlike her rivals, the two best fillies were able to sustain their effort in the last furlongs, which they ran in less than 12''.

Babylone is out of Typique (Galileo), twice unplaced in Ireland for the Niarchos, but she is regally-bred, being by Galileo out of Denebola (Storm Cat), a Prix Marcel Boussac (Gr1) winner for the same family. Sold €450,000 at Goffs to Broadhurst Agency (Laurent Benoît) out of training, Typique also gave after Babylone, an Invincible Spirit filly named Assyrian Queen and also trained by Fabre, and a Dubawi filly who is in next August Arqana sale.