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Sporting the colours of Al Shaqab Racing, Ectot made a winning return to action with a stylish display in the Qatar Prix Niel at Longchamp yesterday. |
The prolific Elie Lellouche-trained colt had been off the track since landing the Prix de Fontainebleau over a mile in April, but was for his comeback, stepping up a full half-mile in trip.
Jockey Gregory Benoist settled the three-year-old - in whom Al Shaqab Racing recently purchased a half-share - at the back of the field for much of the journey and he made dramatic progress when given his head in the straight, quickly swooping down the outside of the pack to lead. The lack of a recent outing was perhaps a factor as he began to tire in the final furlong, but
he had done enough to seal
victory and was well on top at the finish despite the fact that Teletext was closing in rapidly in the last strides.
Aidan O’Brien’s Adelaide, last seen winning the Secretariat Stakes in America, made eyecatching late progress to take third. The Irish raider was left with nowhere to go a furlong out, but flew home once switched wide by Ryan Moore.
Ectot is now likely to head for the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, which could open the door for Frankie Dettori to partner him with Benoist likely to switch back to partner Avenir Certain, although there are likely to be plenty of hands still to be played.
Lellouche said: “He was very fresh because he had not run in a while. If you have a good horse it can go over any distance and I was always confident he could run over a mile and a half.
“I always thought he was a very good horse and it was a good performance. I told the jockey to keep him out of the race and to not give him a hard time, to be at the back as it was his first run in a very long time.
“I won’t forget when Hurricane Run (sire of Ectot) beat me with Westerner in the Arc - Hurricane Run had won the Niel and I hope that the same can happen in my favour this year and the Niel winner can win the Arc.”
Benoist said: “I was riding to instructions. The horse was calm, for him today he was quite relaxed.“He went really well, he needed a breather but he stuck out his head and did everything I asked of him.” Of his Arc de Trimomphe options, the jockey added: “I have plenty of time to make my mind up.”
Pascal Bary said of Teletext: “He ran a cracking race, but he’s definitely not going to run in the Arc.”
“There was always the question mark about the trip but it looked like they went a good clip so it’s a very big tick in the right box,” said Al Shaqab Racing adviser Harry Herbert. He added: “It’s fantastic and very exciting. He has been off a long time so the plan was to give the horse as much chance as possible and allow him to creep into the race. This isn’t Arc day and I think this is a big bonus. He has to improve considerably with that run under his belt and if we can hold on to him in the Arc he has to be a force to be reckoned with. And he goes on any ground.”