Auctions

Mar 12 Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. March Sale of 2YOs in Training 2024 HIPS
Mar 14 Tattersalls Cheltenham Festival March Sale 2024 HIPS
Mar 27 Tattersalls March Sale 2024 HIPS
Apr 3 Texas Thoroughbred Association 2YOs in Training Sale 2024 HIPS
Apr 16 Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. Spring Sale of 2YOs in Training 2024 HIPS
View All Auctions

Unbeaten Earthlight Heads Prix Maurice de Gheest

Son of Shamardal will meet Golden Horde for a third time Aug. 9 at Deauville.

Earthlight beats Golden Horde in the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket

Earthlight beats Golden Horde in the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket

Edward Whitaker/Racing Post

The Aug. 9 LARC Prix Maurice de Gheest (g1) at Deauville is as deep a group 1 as the Qatar Sussex Stakes (G1) was last week. It has drawn genuine contenders from the sprint and seven-furlong divisions, even a couple who could be reasonably regarded as milers.

The difference is that while the pre-race view of the Sussex suggested it had no obvious star, the 6 1/2-furlong Maurice de Gheest has Earthlight.

The son of Shamardal is unbeaten in six starts, albeit nearly a year down the line from his best effort on form, when he gave Raffle Prize weight and a beating in the Darley Prix Morny (G1) at this track. He has since beaten Golden Horde in the Juddmonte Middle Park Stakes (G1) and readily won a listed race July 12 at Deauville on his belated reappearance.

Stepping up from a bare six furlongs should benefit Earthlight. He is bred to get a mile, more or less, and the impression that a little extra emphasis on stamina will allow him to show a world-class performance, if he has one in him.

Much has been made of the physical development Golden Horde made between being beaten by Earthlight and winning the June 19 Commonwealth Cup (G1). In form terms, it amounts to only one pound, although more is not hard to make out. He hung left when third in the Darley July Cup (G1) last time, so a draw in stall 10 could have been kinder.

At the other side of the draw is Space Blues (on the stands' rail in stall 1). He was third in this race last year, second in the Qatar Prix Jean Prat (G1), too, so the course is no issue. Believe what you saw at Goodwood last time when he took the July 28 Qatar Lennox Stakes (G2) and he is a better horse this year, so do not think Godolphin's challenge extends only as far as the favorite.

Space Blues (William Buick) wins the Qatar Lennox Stakes Glorious Goodwood  28.7.20 Pic: Edward Whitaker/ Racing Post
Photo: Edward Whitaker/Racing Post
Space Blues wins the Lennox Stakes at Goodwood

"Space Blues has come out of the Lennox Stakes in good form," trainer Charlie Appleby said. "He ran well in this race last year and, with the way he has performed so far this year, we are heading back very confident that he can run a big race. Every time he has stepped up in grade this season, he has won more impressively, while he has performed well at group 1 level on both his previous starts at Deauville."

Although the stalls are placed on the rail, the race has a tendency to unfold down the middle of the track. Hello Youmzain, who shows plenty of pace over a bare six furlongs, is drawn right in the middle and could be key, especially if he is trusted to last out the trip. His position is good news for those drawn away from the wings, such as Earthlight and Jean Prat runner-up Lope Y Fernandez.

"He is stepping up to 6 1/2 furlongs for the first time but it's a good opportunity for him to go over to France and try to land a big prize," trainer Kevin Ryan said of Hello Youmzain. "He's been an amazing horse for us and was really impressive when holding on to win the Diamond Jubilee Stakes (G1) from Dream of Dreams." 

"Lope Y Fernandez is in good form and ran a lovely race the last day over seven furlongs," said trainer Aidan O'Brien, who also sends out group 3 winner Wichita. "We're coming back in trip because he showed a lot of speed in that race—he came there cantering—so it will be interesting to see how he gets on here. He's definitely sharpening up with every run. Wichita never ran at anything less than seven furlongs but Frankie (Dettori) rode him the last day and said he'd loads of pace and that he'd be comfortable over this trip."

Golden Horde in 'Great Shape' for Rematch
Golden Horde finished just a neck down to Earthlight in last September's Middle Park Stakes, a fair improvement on the 2 3/4-length defeat he suffered when the pair first met in the Prix Morny. 

As any statistician will tell you, there needs to be at least a third data point before you can draw a line that would be described as a trend, but Clive Cox believes he has Golden Horde in shape to give Earthlight a real fight. 

"He did a great job first time up in the Commonwealth Cup at Ascot and backed that up with a solid performance in the July Cup," Cox said. "But I would be even happier that he's had a little bit more time since then. He has a high standard of form and we're looking forward to taking on Earthlight again." 

ASCOT, ENGLAND - JUNE 19: Adam Kirby after riding Golden Horde to win The Commonwealth Cup on Day Four of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse on June 19, 2020 in Ascot, England
Photo: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images
Golden Horde after winning the Commonwealth Cup at Ascot Racecourse

Andre Fabre has always believed that Earthlight has thrived over six furlongs because of his class as much as raw speed, categorizing the son of Shamardal before his recent comeback win as "not a pure sprinter."

Theoretically the slightly extended trip here should play to Earthlight's strengths but, on a speed track like Deauville, Cox is hopeful that a lack of stamina will not be an issue for Golden Horde.

"The way he hit the line in the Middle Park last year, the extra half a furlong isn't a concern," said Cox. "After being passed in the July Cup he stayed on very well up the rising ground too. 

"The extra distance doesn't bother me and I hope it might be useful."

Fabre has been delighted with Earthlight since returning from the fetlock sprain which ruled out a tilt at the mile classics and, while the form of his win in the Qatar Prix Kistena three weeks ago was nothing to write home about, he knows his horse is the one the rest all have to worry about. 

"Earthlight's juvenile form is among the best around and he comes into this race in excellent condition," said the 30-time champion trainer.