Pacemaker Shahah springs big surprise on Al Naamah

The Prix d’Aumale at Chantilly was due to be a warm-up for Al Naamah ahead of next month’s Prix Marcel Boussac but Al Shaqab Racing might have a different contender altogether after pacemaker Shahah caused a mighty turn-up.

Al Naamah, who cost a record-breaking five million guineas as a yearling, had made such an encouraging debut at the course in late June that she had been promoted to ante-post favourite for next year’s 1000 Guineas.

Bidding to improve Frankie Dettori’s fortunes after he lost the ride on Arc winner Treve to Thierry Jarnet, the Italian initially looked to be going reasonably well in the mile Group Three race, but hopes started to fade inside the final two furlongs with Andre Fabre’s second-string Shahah still holding a comfortable advantage.

Faded

In the end, the sister to 2012 Oaks winner Was faded to finish sixth of the seven starters, while Pierre-Charles Boudot held on to the lead to beat the previously unbeaten Night Of Light by a length and a quarter.

Ironically, Shahah was only recently moved by Sheikh Joaan Al Thani’s operation from Richard Hannon’s yard and into the care of Fabre so as to assist in the training of Al Naamah.

The Motivator filly was beaten in three starts for Hannon and was only third in a maiden at Chepstow last month.

Harry Herbert, representing Al Shaqab, said: “Obviously Al Naamah was disappointing but she’ll be fine, and Andre said that we know she’s better than that. She’s a big, tall, scopey filly and Frankie said she could never get into the race. Shahah was doing a very good job in front, a decent clip without going a crazy pace. I’m delighted Al Shaqab have won but it’s a strange feeling for it to have been with a pacemaker.”

Japan’s three challengers for this year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe are set to arrive in France during the middle of this month. El Condor Pasa, Nakayama Festa and Orfevre (twice) have all finished second in October’s Longchamp finale, with the Far Eastern nation’s runners usually having a tune-up at this Sunday’s trials meeting. The team this year is headed by Just A Way, who became the world’s top-ranked horse when thrashing his rivals in the Dubai Duty Free and won over a mile in Japan at the start of June.