Vicomtesse Vigier: Skazino gets new lease of life

May 26, 2022, ParisLongchamp Racecourse (Paris). – The 152th Prix Vicomtesse Vigier (Gr2) delivered a great finish as the titleholder Skazino (Kendargent) redeemed himself with style. Revealed last year in the stayers' colony, the champion from Marseilles owned by the Chehboub family's Haras de la Gousserie had failed three times this season and was now seen as a challenger, one year after his triumph in this same two-miler. Now trained by Richard Chotard and ridden by Mickaël Barzalona, he travelled in 5th position in a field led by Sea Dreamin (Sea the Stars) and Search for a Song (Galileo), followed by Esope (Galiway) and the favourite Bubble Smart (Intello). Going into the last straight, the field spread its wings and coming outside were two ambitious challengers in Joie de Soir (Fastnet Rock) et The Good Man (Manduro), who was spotted at the rear until then. Skazino, on the other hand, dove towards the rail and soon took over. He ner let go from there and kept Joie de Soir and The Good Man stayed on to finish within a length of the winner. Bubble Smart never accelerated and finished only 6th.

Bought € 22,000 as a yearling in Deauville by Paul Nataf and bought back € 150,000 in 2019 at the Arqana Arc sale, Skazino is the full brother to another Marseilles star, Skalleti, and to unraced 3-year-old Skalli, who doesn't hold any classic entry.