Camelot Filly Takes the Royaumont

[Wandering Eyes]

Successful on heavy ground on debut over 12 furlongs at Saint-Cloud Apr. 2 and runner-up to the leading G1 Prix de Diane candidate Shahnaza (Fr) (Azamour {Ire}) in the 11-furlong Listed Prix de la Seine at ParisLongchamp May 6, Pollara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) justified 13-5 favouritism in Sunday’s G3 Prix de Royaumont at Chantilly. Held up by Olivier Peslier throughout the early stages, the bay went towards the rail to lead 150 metres out and that proved decisive as the unlucky Waldlied (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) stayed on late to close the gap to 1 1/4 lengths. “She had already shown on debut that she had a good turn of foot and a kick at the finish and is improving all the time,” trainer Francis-Henri Graffard commented. “I think Olivier Peslier did well to bide his time and go inside rather than outside. She doesn’t show much in the mornings and can be a litle bit on edge, so we’ve done a lot of work on her and she has learned how to settle. She had a hood on going to the start which was removed there and that helped. We’ll take it one race at a time, but I think logically we should follow the mile-and-a-half program and go for the [G2 Prix de] Malleret [at Saint-Cloud July 1].”

Sunday, Chantilly, France
PRIX DE ROYAUMONT-G3, €80,000, Chantilly, 6-3, 3yo, f, 12fT, 2:32.57, sf.
1–POLLARA (IRE), 126, f, 3, by Camelot (GB)
1st Dam: Brooklyn’s Storm, by Storm Cat
2nd Dam: Brooklyn’s Dance (Fr), by Shirley Heights (GB)
3rd Dam: Vallee Dansante, by Lyphard
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (160,000gns Ylg ’16 TATOCT). O-Ilse Smits; B-Paget Bloodstock (IRE); T-Francis-Henri Graffard; J-Olivier Peslier. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, €66,000. *1/2 to Stormina (Gulch), MSW-US & GSP-Fr, $273,600. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Waldlied (GB), 126, f, 3, New Approach (Ire)–Waldlerche (GB), by Monsun (Ger). O/B-Newsells Park Stud & Gestur Ammerland (GB); T-Andre Fabre. €16,000.
3–Contessa du Barry (Fr), 126, f, 3, Motivator (GB)–Highborne (Fr), by Anabaa (€90,000 Ylg ’16 AROCT). O-Wendy Taylor & Hubert Honore; B-Haras du Quesnay (FR); T-Nicolas Clement. €12,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 3/4, 1. Odds: 1.60, 3.50, 13.00.
Also Ran: Maiden Voyage (Fr), Ajayeb (Ire), Tempel (Fr), Shaherezada (Ire), Alhseemah (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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