Whistlejacket © Photo Healy Racing
Whistlejacket saw off the late thrust of Rashabar to provide trainer Aidan O’Brien with a fifth victory in the Sumbe Prix Morny at Deauville.
Winner of Newmarket’s July Stakes before finding Babouche too strong in the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh last weekend, Whistlejacket was a 2-1 favourite to follow in the hoofprints of Orpen (1998), Fasliyev (1999), Johannesburg (2001) and Blackbeard (2022) by claiming Group One success in France.
Always to the fore and with the rail to help, Whistlejacket was in front entering the last of six furlongs and responded to Ryan Moore’s every call.
The Brian Meehan-trained Rashabar, a shock 80-1 winner of the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot, had to throw down his challenge widest of all in the hands of Sean Levey, but emerged as the biggest threat.
However, try as he might, the Holy Roman Emperor colt could never quite get on terms with the winner, who was three-quarters of a length in front at the line.
Daylight emerged best of the home team in third, with Arabie in fourth for Karl Burke, whose previously unbeaten Norfolk Stakes winner Shareholder proved disappointing, being very keen early on and eventually finishing last of nine.
O’Brien told Sky Sports Racing: “Really it was the boss’s (John Magnier) decision – he felt he could do the two, the Heinz (Phoenix Stakes) and the Morny.
“He’s a very fast horse – a typical No Nay Never, very quick. Ryan said the same – he had all the guns all the way.
“He came out of the race (last week) very well and I’m delighted. Ryan felt the Irish race didn’t go quite the way he wanted, he felt two of them got together very early and the Curragh is a tough track.
“Ryan gave him a brilliant ride as always. He’s a Middle Park-type horse and probably a Breeders’ Cup-type horse.”
Meehan was pleased to see Rashabar prove his Royal Ascot success was no fluke.
He said: “We weren’t helped by the draw, just as we weren’t in Ascot, but it worked out fine that day.
“No disrespect to the winner, I think he’s a lovely horse – I saw him in the parade ring beforehand and thought he’s a very good looking horse. But I think the draw played it’s part as far as we were concerned. The winner had the rail and I think there was a fresh strip of ground there, too.
“He (Rashabar) is a proper horse. I’ve won the Prix Morny twice before (Bad As I Wanna Be in 2000 and Arcano in 2009), but I would say this fellow is better.
“I want to step him up to seven (furlongs) now and we’ll play it by ear. I’m a bit wary of the penalty (for winning at Ascot), but I’d say the Guineas next year is going to be high on his list.
“I always like the idea of the Breeders’ Cup, so that would be a possibility, but we’ll see. We’ll get him home and regroup next week.”
Rashabar was the second horse in a matter of days Meehan has saddled to fill the runner-up spot at Deauville, with his other Royal Ascot hero Jayarebe giving the William Haggas-trained Economics a real race in the Prix Guillaume d’Ornano on Thursday.
He added: “We’ve had a great week and won about €350,000 in prize-money without a winning a race!
“It was a great run from Jayarebe and there was no sad story there. I think it was a career-best from him and I think William’s horse was outstanding.
“It’s the same sort of thing for him (Jayarebe) really, I just wanted to get both horses here and we’ll review the plan next week when I get a chance to draw breath.”
