RACING:RICHARD FAHEY will not rush into making future plans for Wootton Bassett after his star performer lost his unbeaten record in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains at Longchamp. The Iffraaj colt had been rerouted to France after failing to make the English 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket at the start of the month, with a setback in early January meaning he missed a few weeks of work.
He was returning to the scene of his finest hour having given his trainer and champion jockey Paul Hanagan a first taste of Group One glory in Paris on Arc day last October and despite being drawn wide in stall 14, he was sent off a hot favourite.
With his hand slightly forced, Hanagan bounced Wootton Bassett out of the stalls and was able to tack right across to the rail. But he was soon pulling for his head and that would ultimately cost him dear at the business end of the race.
The market leader still held the advantage turning into the straight, but he tired inside the last couple of furlongs and passed the post in fifth place.
Didier Guillemin’s Tin Horse took the victory, quickening up well in the hands of Thierry Jarnet to get the better of the strong-travelling Havane Smoker.
Fahey said: “He’s just run a bit fresh I’m afraid and done too much. He might not have stayed as well, but I wouldn’t like to condemn him on that score at the moment.”
David Wachman’s Imperial Rome finished seventh.
British hopes were also dashed in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches as Andre Fabre’s Golden Lilac maintained her unbeaten record with a superb performance. The daughter of Galileo showed an electric turn of foot to pick up pacemaker Glorious Sight in the final furlong and win as she liked.
Aidan O’Brien’s Wild Wind stayed on to finish third, beaten 3½ lengths, but British hopes Rimth, Sharnberry, Maqaasid and Godolphin inmate Zoowraa all failed to trouble the judge.
The overseas raiders fared better in the Prix de Saint-Georges as Inxile pipped compatriot Captain Dunne by the narrowest of margins.
Tim Easterby’s Captain Dunne set a furious pace in the five-furlong Group Three and looked to have done enough, but the David Nicholls-trained Inxile nipped up the rail and was in front where it mattered.
“When I first watched it I thought we’d nodded it, but then when I watched the other angle I thought we’d got nodded,” said Nicholls. “It’s difficult to tell at Longchamp as you’re a long way away from the action, but thankfully he got there. He’s a grand horse. He’s won a few Listed races and has now won a Group race, so it’s good.”
Feature win for Madden
THE FEATURE race on the first day of the Killarney May Festival, the Ladbrokes.com Handicap Hurdle, went to the Eddie Harty-trained Princeton Plains in the colours of JP McManus, just getting the better of Idarah by a head. Having just his fifth start over hurdles, jockey Niall Madden produced the son of Tagula with an well-timed run from off the pace, challenging the leader Idarah at the last, where he made a mistake, but still found more to get up close home.
The winner (12 to 1) was breaking his maiden tag having being placed at Fairyhouse, Gowran and Punchestown on his last three starts. The winning trainer said: “It was a long time coming but it was worth it when it did. He was unfortunate on his last run to come up against a good horse (Nearest The Pin, but this is good compensation for that.”
