The Group I Poule d’Essai Des Poulains (1600m) was run at Longchamp before the fillies edition of the race and the colts got a lot better weather and a slow track as opposed to heavy with victory going to Aga Kha Studs homebred colt Rayif, whose half-sister was also a Group winner on the same prgram.
The Francis-Henri Graffard trained Sea the Moon colt was having his first run of the year after a three run juvenile campaign that produced two wins including a G3 win and a G1 placing.
Ridden by Mickael Barzalona, he came through along the inside as did Diamond Necklace and won by a length over a group of strong finishing colts Komorebi (Pinatubo), Hankelow (Night of Thunder) and race favourite Puerto Rico (Wootton Bassett) was fourth.
“We'll discuss it with Princess Zahra, but I would have thought we'll go to the St James's Palace Stakes (G1) at Ascot,” said Francis-Henri Graffard.
“I don't really want to step Rayif up in trip. We were lucky to have a good draw and Mickael [Barzalona] was able to ride him close to the pace, and he's a colt who always gets to a high cruising speed quickly. He had a great trip and was in the perfect spot to launch his attack. It was a wonderful victory.”
Rayif is a half-brother to slick stakes-winner Rayevka, who was also successful at Longchamp overnight winning the Group III Prix De Saint-Georges(1000m).
A four year-old mare by Blue Point that is also trained by Graffard, she was won three of 12 starts and all of her wins have been at 1000 or 1200m.
She was third in the Group I Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot last year and it’s not hard to imagine she’ll be headed back there next month.
Rayif and Rayevka are the best of five winners from six foals to race from stakes-placed Rayisa, a half-sister to Group III winner Rehana from a family more geared to sprinter milers.
Rayif is the sixth Group I winner for Lanwades Stud based sire Sea the Moon, best known to Australians for siring Caulfield Cup winner Durston (GB).
