Shamardal’s Earthlight Takes the Morny

[Wandering Eyes]

First Pinatubo (Ire) and now Earthlight (Ire) (Shamardal). Godolphin’s cup runneth over when it comes to their juvenile colts in 2019 and their second unbeaten son of the renowned sire kept the momentum going in Sunday’s G1 Darley Prix Morny at Deauville. Highly impressive when taking the course-and-distance G3 Prix de Cabourg July 28, the 12-5 second favourite stalked the G2 Queen Mary S. and G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. scorer Raffle Prize (Ire) (Slade Power {Ire}) before sweeping by approaching the furlong pole and forging a neck success. There was a 2 1/2-length gap back to the G2 Richmond S. winner Golden Horde (Ire) (Lethal Force {Ire}) in third, giving this renewal a solid feel. “For me, this is one of the best two-year-old races in Europe and I am obviously delighted as it was a tough race,” trainer Andre Fabre commented. “He’ll go further and is a Guineas horse for sure. The only question is whether he runs again this year or we give him a break. If he recovers, he might go to the Dewhurst as of the French and English Guineas next year I would favour Newmarket.”

The Morny has been hit-and-miss in terms of strength-of-depth in recent times, but this particular edition was a keenly-anticipated one with so many untested and exciting prospects. Frankie Dettori was quickly in front on the enthusiastic Raffle Prize with Ryan Moore alongside on Arizona (Ire) (No Nay Never) keen to make the G2 Coventry S. winner work on his return. It was notable how much horse Mickael Barzalona had in behind and while the filly kept finding in front it was soon too much for Arizona, the G2 Norfolk S. and G2 Prix Robert Papin scorer A’Ali (Ire) (Society Rock {Ire}) and Golden Horde. Despite contrasting ground to the light conditions he encountered in the Cabourg, Earthlight picked up best of all to quickly subdue the Mark Johnston raider and deny her any chance of fighting back.

Johnston said of the 19-10 favourite Raffle Prize, “Second sucks as always and that seems to be the story of our year in group ones. It is fantastic for the owners and the winner is by our horse Shamardal. It has to be confirmed by the owners, but it’s always been plan A to come here and then the [G1] Cheveley Park [S. at Newmarket Sept. 28].”

Showing surprising speed and precocity given his pedigree, it can be safely assumed that Earthlight is from the same freakish bracket as the trainer’s past legends Arazi, Zafonic and Xaar (GB). He is the first foal out of the operation’s G1 Fillies’ Mile runner-up Winters Moon (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), whose dam Summertime Legacy (GB) (Darshaan {GB}) captured the G3 Prix des Reservoirs here and was third in the G1 Prix Saint-Alary. Of Summertime Legacy’s four black-type performers, the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud scorer Mandaean (GB) (Manduro {Ger}) and fellow Saint-Alary heroine Wavering (Ire) (Refuse To Bend {Ire}) take centre stage. The third dam Zawaahy (El Gran Senor) is a half to the brilliant G1 Epsom Derby hero Golden Fleece (Nijinsky), with this being the immediate family of leading sire Be My Guest (Northern Dancer). Winters Moon also has a yearling filly by Dubawi (Ire) and a foal full-sister to Earthlight.

Sunday, Deauville, France
DARLEY PRIX MORNY – FINALE DES DARLEY SERIES-G1, €350,000, Deauville, 8-18, 2yo, c/f, 6fT, 1:12, hy.
1–EARTHLIGHT (IRE), 126, c, 2, by Shamardal
1st Dam: Winters Moon (Ire) (G1SP-Eng), by New Approach (Ire)
2nd Dam: Summertime Legacy (GB), by Darshaan (GB)
3rd Dam: Zawaahy, by El Gran Senor
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Andre Fabre; J-Mickael Barzalona. €199,990. Lifetime Record: 4-4-0-0, €270,490. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Raffle Prize (Ire), 122, f, 2, Slade Power (Ire)–Summer Fete (Ire), by Pivotal (GB). O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum; B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Mark Johnston. €80,010.
3–Golden Horde (Ire), 126, c, 2, Lethal Force (Ire)–Entreat (GB), by Pivotal (GB). (£65,000 Ylg ’18 GOUKPR). O-AlMohamediya Racing; B-CN Farm Ltd (IRE); T-Clive Cox. €40,005.
Margins: NK, 2HF, 2. Odds: 2.40, 1.90, 13.00.
Also Ran: Arizona (Ire), A’Ali (Ire), Aroha (Ire), Royal Dornoch (Ire), Devil (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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