Kingman skips through Deauville mire, extends winning streak in Marois

Kingman skips through Deauville mire, extends winning

streak in Marois

Despite coping admirably with all types of race conditions this term, Kingman

faced the deepest ground yet in Sunday's Group 1 Prix Jacques le Marois, a

Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Mile, but made

light of another tricky test to put himself head and shoulders above the rest of

Europe's milers.

After the green light was given for Khalid Abdullah's homebred to take part

despite another deluge at an already soggy Deauville, the 2-5 shot did exactly

what he had done in the Irish Two Thousand Guineas, St James's Palace and Sussex

as he swept from last to first to dispel his rivals and win with a degree of

comfort. Taking command approaching the furlong pole, he surged through the

quagmire to score by 2 1/2 lengths from Anodin and continue a golden run for

trainer John Gosden.

"Prince Khalid made the decision to run, so that took the pressure off me and

he showed again what a great horse he is," Gosden said. "He was not in love with

the ground, but handled it well enough and James (Doyle) is a cool rider and did

the job well."

While meaningful comparison with Juddmonte's recent giant Frankel is still a

way off, Kingman has already accomplished enough in a short space of time to

stand up alongside the recent miling champions such as Rock of Gibraltar. Like

that former Ballydoyle celebrity, he has swallowed Group 1 after Group 1 since

what can only now be seen as an unlucky eclipse in Newmarket's Two Thousand

Guineas May 3. On that occasion, Doyle used up his electric burst too early and

allowed Night of Thunder to swoop, but with that experience under his belt the

newly retained rider played it cool and got his just reward in the Curragh

equivalent three weeks later.

Again delivered late in the St James's Palace at Royal Ascot June 17, Kingman

readily turned the tables on his Newmarket conqueror before letting Toronado

feel his fire as he went up a notch against his elders in the Sussex at Glorious

Goodwood July 30.

This latest proposition was complicated by the presence of Toronado's stable

companion Olympic Glory, who had everything in his favor especially after

another deluge had hit an already soggy Deauville. While there was an element of

risk in chancing him on such desperate ground, the handsome sophomore's

owner-breeder is a great believer that great horses go on any surface, and the

die was cast.

Hammered into odds-on by a crowd undeterred by the adverse conditions, the

bay was anchored last of the five runners early as Doyle ignored the track bias,

which has heavily favored prominently placed runners this week. Sauntering

alongside Olympic Glory as that rival's jockey Frankie Dettori stopped looking

behind and started rowing along, Kingman was ahead with just over 200 meters to

race and dashed away in another exhibition of class and versatility.

"He has proven he can win on any ground now and has a lovely temperament,"

Gosden commented. "James said they were going too slow for him early on and he

almost fell asleep, and when he returned to the winner's enclosure he went back

to sleep immediately.

"He has had two close races now and so will head straight to the Queen

Elizabeth II Stakes (at Ascot October 18). A decision as to whether he remains

in training at four will be made later on."

Regardless of when he heads to the breeding shed, Kingman will be a valuable

addition to the Juddmonte roster, being from the immediate family of successful

sires Oasis Dream and Beat Hollow.

Anodin's trainer Freddie Head has a stateside aim in mind for Goldikova's

brother.

"He has run a good race and was just beaten by a better horse on the day," he

said. "We will see, but it has always been the plan to run in the Breeders' Cup

Mile."

The Group 3 Prix Minerve went to the Aga Khan's homebred Zarshana, a Sea the

Stars half-sister to the great Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, Prix de Diane and

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Zarkava.

Despite being a maiden heading into the Prix de Thiberville, Zarshana had

already proven her quality by finishing second in the May 11 Prix de la Seine at

Longchamp and third in the Prix de Royaumont over 12 furlongs at Chantilly at

the start of June. Getting off the mark in that July 13 Longchamp contest with

cheekpieces fitted for the first time, she turned up in blinkers here as Alain

de Royer-Dupre attempted to nurse out some extra.

Sluggish from the gates and niggled along by Christophe Soumillon before

finding her feet towards the back of the pack early, the homebred employed her

abundant stamina as the runners created a blanket across the track in the

straight. Driven to lead just over 100 meters remaining, Zarshana asserted from

her sole serious opponent Game Zone to continue the sequence.

"She is still improving and learning with every race and I see room for

improvement still," de Royer-Dupre said. "I think she will make a top

four-year-old as she matures and in the meantime the Prix Vermeille (at

Longchamp September 14) is a possibility for her, but we have others in line for

that and we will have to see how they get on before that."

Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com