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Al Shaqab Racing representative Shahah was the surprise winner of the Prix d’Aumale, a Group 3, 1,600-metre race, for two year old fillies, on Tuesday at Chantilly. |
The André Fabre-trained filly was actually the pacemaker for Al Naamah, another runner which was sporting the colours of for Al Shaqab Racing. She recently joined André Fabre’s yard from Richard Hannon.
Shahah was quickly to the head of affairs and led at a strong pace before kicking clear with ease in the straight to win by a length.
This was a first success for Shahah who was previously placed on her three starts in England. “It is strange,” declared Harry Herbert, Racing Advisor for Al Shaqab Racing.
“Shahah was still a maiden, but had already showed talent on her previous starts. The progeny of Motivator seems to like it here in France! I think she liked the track and being out in front. It is an extraordinary result but it feels fantastic to have won.
“She could be supplemented for the Total Prix Marcel Boussac, we will have to talk about it. Her jockey Pierre-Charles Boudot told us that she was very calm and she won well. It is brilliant to win this race, which is not easy to do.”
“Racing is a strange game sometimes,” he mused. “This was obviously not the result we expected and Frankie said they went very quick and Al Naamah was always outpaced and taken out of her stride. She is a late-maturing filly who has grown a lot since her first run and today was not her day. Fabre has told us absolutely not to lose faith in her, but I don’t know whether we’ll see her again this season.
As for Al Naamah, Harry Herbert explained: “We shouldn’t lose faith in the filly. Everything about her points to her being a three-year-old. The race was too fast for her today and she wasn’t at ease.”
Previously with Richard Hannon, Shahah entered this first outing for her new stable after failing to break her maiden status in three starts with the first two coming over six furlongs and the last over a mile at Chepstow on August 25.
On the latter occasion, the bay who had been an expensive yearling purchase herself without being in the same league as Al Naamah had faded late to be third on soft ground when the favourite.
Tardy out of the gates, she was rousted along by Pierre-Charles Boudot to lead before the end of the first furlong as Al Naamah stayed three lengths back in fifth under Frankie Dettori. Turning for home, Shahah was asked to extend and stretch the elastic even further and for a few strides it appeared that all was well with the stable first-string. By the time she reached the quarter pole, the master plan was in tatters with the favourite already feeling the whip. Keeping up the pressure all the way to the line, Shahah proved by making all with such effort that she was clearly the best filly in the line-up on the day.