Horse racing: Godolphin’s Persian King eyes more Group 1 success in France

Dubai: Persian King, Godolphin’s multiple Group-race winning miler, bids for a second successive victory in the premier division when he takes on some of Europe’s top middle-distance horses in the Group 1 Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville, France, on Sunday.

Trained by Andre Fabre, the four-year-old son of Kingsman drops back a furlong following his storming two-length success in the Group 1 Prix d’Ispahan over nine furlongs at his home course in Chantilly on July 19.

Persian King was also a compelling winner of the mile Group 2 Prix du Muguet at Saint-Cloud on his seasonal debut at the end of June.

Overall Persian King has won seven of his 10 starts including six over the mile with the Poule d’Essai des Pulains (2,000 Guineas) being one of his most notable wins as a three-year-old.

French jockey Pierre-Charles Boudot takes the ride just as he has in all his 10 starts since his racecourse debut in August 2018.

Among Persian King’s six rivals is the unbeaten English raider Palace Pier, who is trained by John Gosden for Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai.

The mount of in-form jockey Frankie Dettori, Palace Pier is seeking a second straight Group 1 victory over a mile following a length success over Godolphin’s 2019 Horse of the Year Pinatubo in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Assessing Persian King’s chances on Sunday, Fabre told the Godolphin website: “Persian King is in great form and his preparation has been excellent. The ground is obviously a factor but, given the conditions, it will be a test for everyone.”

Besides Persian King, Godolphin runners will be seen in action at nine different racecourse around the world, including Australia, America, Germany and Japan.