Tarragon Report: Fonthill Abbey's prayer answered

Friday, September 18, 2020, Chantilly. - It took Fonthill Abbey (Dubawi) an early backward move to win the €56,000 Prix Bertrand de Tarragon (Gr3), a 9-furlong race for fillies and mares aged 3 and up.

Indeed, in the wake of a front-running Suphala (Frankel), finally third, the 3-year-old filly Tickle Me Green (Sea the Moon) was never able to find a gap, and she finished only fifth. Also long boxed in, Thalyia (Motivator) finished at full speed in second, half a length behind the winner, almost a length ahead of Suphala.

It was Fonthill Abbey's first attempt in a Group race. This Godolphin homebred, second last in a Listed event over the mile, was also running on a longer distance than the mile for the first time.

She started her career with a second place in April of last year behind Fount (Frankel) and ahead of Mashael and Roseya, who were all well-regarded. On the other hand, she had never been entered in top-flight races until this victorious episode at Chantilly.

Fonthill Abbey is out of the unraced mare Fair Hill (New Approach), a three-parts sister of the juvenile champion and sire Teofilo (Galileo) who has since given birth to a Night of Thunder filly who is now 3 and in training in Germany. Fair Hill has been sold twice since the birth of Fonthill Abbey, and most recently in December 2019 for £ 40,000 in England. A New Bay colt was also born in 2018, according to Tattersalls.