PEARLS GALORE SECOND IN THE FORET

Pearls Galore continued her fabulous run since moving to the stables of Paddy Twomey in Golden, Tipperary with a second place in the Group 1 Prix de la Foret at ParisLongchamp at the Arc de Triomphe weekend. Since moving to Ireland the Haras de Saint Pair’s daughter of Invincible Spirit has 4 wins, 3 second places and a third from 9 starts and earnings of 266.000€. She is the winner of two Group 3 races and has now been second in Group 1’s races in Ireland and France.

The 1400 metres Prix de laForet has developed in recent years into one of the most competitive Group 1 races in France and Europe. It has been won by top horses including Moonlight Cloud, Olympic Glory, Make Believe, Limato as well as the triple winner One Master and is the only Group 1 for three year olds and upwards over this distance. Fillies who have finished runner up in recent years include the Champions Goldikova and Natagora, as well as Pearls Galore.

Pearls Galore broke fast under jockey Billy Lee and held a prominent position throughout the race which was run at a fast pace from start to finish. The final time of 1 minute 22.97 seconds was faster than three of the last five runnings of the race despite the heavy ground. In the final 200 metres Pearls Galore finally got the better of the Japanese challenger Entscheiden but couldn’t hold the final run of Godolphin’s five year old colt Space Blues and finished second 2 lengths behind Space Blues and 3/4 length in front of Entscheiden.

Pearls Galore’s yearling half brother by Shalaa is lot 85 in the Arqana October yearling sale on Monday, October 18th. Her dam Pearls Banks has four winners, three of them stakes winners, from six foals of racing age and her two year old, the Dark Angel filly Pearls Angel was a promising sixth on her only start to date in Bordeaux in September.