The Group I Prix Jean Prat (1400m) at Deauville overnight produced an upset with a disappointing performance from race favourite Chaldean, who was a gallant second to boom colt Paddington in the Group I St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot at his previous start.
While Paddington stepped up to win the Group I Coral Eclipse Stakes at Sandown on Saturday, Chaldean failed to improve off his Ascot run, trailing in a well beaten seventh with victory going to progressive Kodiac colt Good Guess.
A two time winner as a juvenile, the Fabrice Chappet trained colt won the Group III Prix Djebel (1400m) at his first run this year and was sixth in the Group I Poule d'Essai des Poulains, but is clearly better dropped back to a sprinting trip.
Ridden by Stephane Pasquier, he stormed clear to win by three lengths taking his overall record to four wins and two placigns from eight starts.
“He's always been a good horse who we have liked for a long time. He won the Djebel nicely, missed the break in the Poulains and last time there was no pace which he really needs. That happened for him today and now he'll probably come back here in August for either the Maurice de Gheest or Jacques le Marois,” said Fabrice Chappet.
Bred by Cheveley Park Stud, Good Guess runs for Hisaaki Saito and was a 420,000gns purchase from the Cheveley Park Stud draft by Chauvigny Global Equine at the 2021 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1 and was the third highest priced yearling by Kodiac at that sale.
He is a half-brother to Group III winner Spangled and is the best of five winners from Zykina, an unraced Pivotal daughter of Champion 3YO Filly Russian Rhythm.
Good Guess is the seventh Group I winner for Kodiac, whose outstanding dual Group I winning son Hello Youmzain (Fr) shuttles to Cambridge Stud in New Zealand.
