Alohi Alii shines in French G2 ahead of Arc bid; Japan runners finish 5th and 6th in G1 Prix Jacques le Marois

Over the weekend of Aug. 16-17, it was Alohi Alii who proved the brightest of the Japanese trio participating in two races staged at Deauville in France’s Normandy. On Saturday, Aug. 16, the 3-year-old son of Duramente, racing for the first time since the April 20 Satsuki Sho (Japanese 2000 Guineas), captured the 2,000-meter Grade 2 Prix Guillaume d’Ornano under Christophe Lemaire.

Carrying the colors of Tsuyoshi Suzuki, the chestnut colt was a bit slow away from the inside gate, but the slow tempo allowed him to ease effortlessly into the front of the tiny field of five by the first turn.

Based at the Miho stable of trainer Hiroyasu Tanaka, Alohi Alii was stalked closely by Batal Youmzain under Mickael Barzalona, but 50 meters into the stretch it was obvious there was no threat to be had.

And, at shortly before 4 p.m. local time Saturday afternoon, with 400 meters to go, Lemaire let him rip. They crossed the line a full 3 1/2 lengths ahead of the Brian Meehan-trained runnerup Rashabar under Christophe Soumillon, with the Andre Fabre-trained, Godolphin-owned Cualificar a head later in third under Cristian Demuro.

Lemaire, back at Deauville after quite a spell, said, “He ran a very strong race. Under way, he was cool and his breathing was perfect. His responses in the stratight were excellent. The horses in the Arc (Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe) will be of a different calibre, but his win here was very strong and I think he could be a formidable contender in the Arc. It’s most definitely worth a try.”

Alohi Alii’s Satsuki Sho run had ended with a disappointing placing of eighth out of 18, prior to which he’d made the top three in his three previous career starts. Things had continued to go less than smoothly for what was the colt’s first overseas excursion.

“The staff had worked really hard with him,” said Tanaka. “And though they had done everything possible, I could say frankly that he wasn’t at his best. But, he was certainly able to race.”

Not only did Alohi Alii become the first Japan-based horse to win the race, he was also the first to participate in it. The colt is pointed next at the Arc, with a distance 400 meters longer and the outlook for the Arc has improved drastically. “The decision whether to go to the Arc or not had depended on the results of this race, so it’s great that we won so handily.”

Tanaka is confident the extra ground won’t pose a problem. "I think he could be even better over 2,400 meters and, with the 4 months off he had prior to this race, 2 months to the Arc may well be the perfect amount of time to prepare. I think we are perfectly placed for the Arc.”

Bookmakers everywhere are eyeing his result and have slashed the odds on Alohi Alii for the Oct. 5 Arc, for many from 100-1 to 25-1. The colt, whose name can be translated from the Hawaiian as “shining chief,” is one of four Japanese horses, including this year’s Tokyo Yushun (Japanese Derby) winner Croix du Nord, currently nominated for the iconic race.

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On Sunday, Aug. 17, the Grade 1 Prix Jacques le Marois (run over the straight 1,600-meter track) saw a field of 10 runners with two representatives from Japan - the 4-year-old filly Ascoli Piceno, a two-time G1 winner, and the 5-year-old Go to First, who had and has yet to win at the graded level.

In Japan, where betting on the race was offered, fans backed Ascoli Piceno to the favorite, with Go to First a distant ninth pick. However, the expectations (at least on Ascoli Piceno) were unmet with the top three finishing spots going to 4-year-old colts, and the Japanese runners finishing in fifth and sixth place.

In first under Christophe Soumillon was the Aidan O’Brien-trained Diego Velazquez (by Frankel) with a head’s length back to Notable Speech, piloted by William Buick in Godolphin colors. Dancing Gemini, with Rossa Ryan up, finished 3/4 length later in third place.

It was the first top-level win for the Sam Sangster-owned Diego Velazquez, who covered the distance in a time of 1 minute 34.23 seconds and won himself a ticket to the Breeder’s Cup.

Of Japan’s duo, it was, surprisingly, the lesser-lauded Go to First that beat Ascoli Piceno to the finish line. Paired with jockey Mirai Iwata at Deauville, Go to First had previously only won at the three-win level and had only posted a disappointing 12-8 in his two prior graded bids, both Grade 3s.

He did a fine job In the Marois, however, scoring fifth place about 3 1/2 lengths off the top. A 5-year-old by Rulership, Go to First carried the same 60 kg as the four finishers before him, and he carried 1.5 kg more than Ascoli Piceno, who, paired with Christophe Lemaire, followed him a neck later in sixth place.

Jockey Iwata said, “I think it was a convincing race. As discussed with the trainer, I took up position behind the eventual winner and this horse was able to relax in that position. Given the gate we’d drawn (No. 8), I think I did pretty well moving him out in the final stage.

“It was his first race over a straight track and he handled it well. I’m satisfied with the fifth-place result.”

Trainer Koichi Shintani lauded Iwata for a race well ridden. “For a moment when he moved him out I thought he just might win but, after all, it was a G1 race and he was no match for the locals familiar with the venue. That said, being able to make the board as a challenger, makes for quite a satisfying result.”

For Ascoli Piceno, Lemaire found the lack of pace, despite her excellent late speed, to have been the biggest factor in the filly’s poor result. “We got off to a good start and I was able to take up position behind The Lion in Winter (finished in last place) where this horse could race calmly on the rail.

“With the slow pace, however, and being held up a bit in the final sprint, I wasn’t able to get her to shift into high gear over the last 400 meters.

“It was a disappointing result but she gave it her all until the end. If there had been just a bit more pace I think we would have been able to do better. It wasn’t the course, but the inconsistency of the pace that didn’t suit her.”

Official result
Prix Guillaume d’Ornano
Prix Jacques le Marois

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