Chappet Racing fielded six runners on Sunday’s Qatar Prix du Jockey Club card at Chantilly, and despite numerous honourable efforts from our troop, the performance of the day undoubtedly went to Hisaaki Saito’s winning debutante Good Guess.
The well-bred son of Kodiac showed a beautiful attitude and took the opening race of the afternoon, the Prix d’Orgemont (Maiden 1,100m) in extremely professional fashion. Breaking smartly, Good Guess led his rivals down past the stands, travelling easily under Stephane Pasquier. The last horse off the bridle, the colt pulled clear of some smartly bred opponents and went on to win by just under a length.
Good Guess was purchased as a yearling last October by Chauvigny Global Equine at Tattersalls Book 1, before then acquiring the silks of his owner Hisaaki Saito, also carried by Gr.3 winner Topgear, who was unbeaten in three starts last term for Chappet Racing.
The Cheveley Park bred colt is a half-brother to Doncaster Gr.3 winner Spangled and is out of an unraced daughter to Cheveley Park Stud’s wonderful four-time Gr.1 winner Russian Rhythm.
Amongst the yards 6 other runners on the card, it was fantastic to see Duchess Of Dubai progress on last month’s maiden success to finish third in the Gr.3 Prix Du Royaumount and gain some black-type for her connections. In the Qatar Prix du Jockey Club, Onesto, who had to wait for the gaps to appear did well to finish fifth from his draw in stall fourteen, while Machete ran his typical game race and finished an honourable seventh in the Gr.1 Classic. The unraced Pleasant Jane received a good introduction to racing under yard apprentice Ayeman Benthar when winning the Challenge des Courses Ecole, a schooling race for apprentices.