The Revenant Strikes Again

[Wandering Eyes]

Saturday’s G3 Prix Edmond Blanc looked a tight contest on paper beforehand and that proved the outcome, with just over a length covering the four main protagonists headed by the progressive The Revenant (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Not the first ex-British Al Asayl homebred to make great strides under Francis-Henri Graffard, the 4-year-old, who started his career with Hugo Palmer, had opened his black-type account when taking the Listed Prix Altipan over this mile at this Saint-Cloud venue last time Mar. 10. Set a far stiffer task this time, the 3-1 shot was reserved behind the leaders by Olivier Peslier before being delivered to overhaul the 9-5 favourite Graphite (Fr) (Shamardal) in the last 50 metres for a head success. Lunch Lady (GB) (Shamardal) was a short neck away in third, while last year’s G1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains hero Olmedo (Fr) (Declaration of War) was unable to land a serious blow a length away in fourth.

The Revenant had shown class on the first showing when scoring at Haydock as a juvenile, but a subsequent light campaign had suggested that he had not enjoyed a straightforward journey. Now maturing after a gelding operation, the chestnut, who is out of the G3 St Simon S. winner Hazel Lavery (Ire) (Excellent Art {GB}), is giving his handler hope that he can continue to scale the heights.

“He doesn’t stop surprising me and gelding him obviously did him good,” Graffard said. “He is going up the ladder and proved he belongs in this company. There was a doubt about the drying ground, because he had done his racing on soft and although the jockey said it took him a while to find his best stride on it, he handled it fine. All we have to do now is keep him going and if he comes out of this in good order the [May G2] Prix du Muguet is next.”

Pedigree Notes

The Revenant has an as-yet unraced 3-year-old half-sister by Kingman (GB) named Albanderi (GB) and a yearling half-sister by Oasis Dream (GB).

 

Saturday, Saint-Cloud, France
PRIX EDMOND BLANC-G3, €80,000, Saint-Cloud, 3-30, 4yo/up, 8fT, 1:41.73, gd.
1–THE REVENANT (GB), 126, g, 4, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Hazel Lavery (Ire) (GSW-Eng, $246,630),
                                by Excellent Art (GB)
2nd Dam: Reprise (GB), by Darshaan (GB)
3rd Dam: Rapid Retreat (Ire), by Exactly Sharp
1ST GROUP WIN. O-Al Asayl France; B-Al Asayl Bloodstock Ltd
(GB); T-Francis-Henri Graffard; J-Olivier Peslier. €40,000.
Lifetime Record: 8-6-1-1, €112,035. Werk Nick Rating: A.
   Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Graphite (Fr), 128, g, 5, Shamardal–Fairly Grey (Fr), by
Linamix (Fr). (€250,000 Ylg ’15 AROCT). O-Godolphin SNC;
B-Haras de Saint Pair (FR); T-Andre Fabre. €16,000.
3–Lunch Lady (GB), 122, f, 4, Shamardal–High Maintenance (Fr),
by Highest Honor (Fr). O/B-Wertheimer & Frere (GB); T-Freddy
Head. €12,000.
Margins: HD, SNK, 1. Odds: 3.00, 1.80, 4.60.
Also Ran: Olmedo (Fr), Crown Walk (GB), Schang (Ger). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

View the full article