More Blue Joy As Shamardal’s Castle Lady Wins the Grotte

[Wandering Eyes]

Godolphin have well and truly laid down the gauntlet in 2019 and Castle Lady (Ire) (Shamardal) followed where Persian King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) led by completing a ParisLongchamp Classic trial double in the G3 Prix de la Grotte. Successful by 3 1/2 lengths in a mile debutantes contest on Chantilly’s Polytrack Mar. 14, the 47-10 shot was the least experienced in the line-up and a touch free in the hands of Mickael Barzalona tracking the front pair Imperial Charm (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Epistrophy (Fr) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) early. With the hold-up horses never getting involved in a race eventually run two seconds slower than the Fontainebleau, the homebred kicked into the lead passing the two-furlong pole and asserted to beat the long-time leader Imperial Charm by 1 3/4 lengths, with a length between that British raider and Epistrophy in third. Henri-Alex Pantall is thinking of the G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches back over this course and distance May 12. “I was very impressed with her first run at Chantilly and although she was up in class a lot here I have always thought she had the class and potential,” he said. “In case she turned out to be really good, I wanted her to run in this race to allow more time between her second start and the Pouliches. She still lacks experience, but settled quite well. She took her time to find her best stride, but stayed on really nicely. She is not entered in the Pouliches, so I’ll have to discuss it with His Highness and see what he wants to do. I’d like to see her back here.”

Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
PRIX DE LA GROTTE-G3, €80,000, ParisLongchamp, 4-14, 3yo, f, 8fT, 1:38.39, gd.
1–CASTLE LADY (IRE), 126, f, 3, by Shamardal
1st Dam: Windsor County, by Elusive Quality
2nd Dam: Ascutney, by Lord At War (Arg)
3rd Dam: Right Word, by Verbatim
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Henri-Alex Pantall; J-Mickael Barzalona. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, €52,500. *1/2 to Top Score (GB) (Hard Spun), SW-UAE, SP-Eng & Tur, $422,848. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Imperial Charm (GB), 126, f, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Reem Three (GB), by Mark of Esteem (Ire). O/B-Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum (GB); T-Simon Crisford. €16,000.
3–Epistrophy (Fr), 126, f, 3, Charm Spirit (Ire)–Cheriearch, by Arch. (€100,000 Ylg ’17 AROCT). O-Masao Ogawa; B-Oceanic Bloodstock Inc, Mme Ariane Gravereaux & OTI Management Pty Ltd (FR); T-Satoshi Kobayashi. €12,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, 1, NK. Odds: 4.70, 15.00, 47.00.
Also Ran: Cala Tarida (GB), Rocques (Fr), Tifosa (Ire), Montviette (Fr), Sicilia (GB), Lily’s Candle (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

View the full article