Six elite milers lined up in the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (1m) in France overnight with the hot favourite Pinatubo beaten by Kingman’s Persian King giving Godolphin a quinella in the prestigious event.
The French Two Thousand Guineas winner last season, the Andre Fabre trained Persian King won the Group I Prix d'Ispahan in July before getting stuck in the mud behind Palace Pier at Deauville last time in the Group I Jacques le Marois.
This time he raced on the pace for Pierre Charles-Boudot and had enough left to hold off the challenge of his fast finishing rival Pinatubo to win by a length and three-quarters.
“I wanted to be on the pace today and Persian King didn't quite break on terms with Circus Maximus,” said Charles-Boudot.
“He went faster up front and I left my horse to gallop in his own rhythm. He was very relaxed and just very good today. He began to pick up the bit in the false straight and when I pulled him wide he showed all of his talent. He has a high cruising speed and that is what kills the others off.”
Raced by Godolphin in partnership with Ballymore Thoroughbreds, Persian King has the overall record of eight wins and three seconds from 12 starts.
Persian King is the first winner for Pretty Please, a winning three-quarter -sister by Dylan Thomas to Group I winner Planteur from the family of champions Peintre Celebre and further back Stradivarius.
Persian King was the first Group I winner for his exciting sire Kingman, who had a Group race double at Longchamp with the Group III Prix du Prince d’Orange (1m2f) won by three year-old colt Chachnak.
Kingman’s brilliant Group II winning son Calyx is available to Australian breeders this spring at Coolmore at a fee of $17,600,
