On Sunday, the progressive son of top sire Dubawi travelled to Deauville in France to take out the first Group 1 prize of his young career when outshining some very high-quality opposition in the 1,300m Prix Maurice de Gheest.
But that’s not all. The manner of Space Blues victory suggests that he is not yet the finished article and that there is more top-level success to come. Much more.
The prestigious Prix de los Angeles Fort (G1) on the same day as the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) in Longchamp in Paris, is its next target, a 1,400 m occasion that attracts sprinters from Europe.
The appeal of this race, which will take place this year on Sunday, October 4, is that Space Blues will face superstar Godolphin in Pinatubo, Europe’s top-rated two-year player in 2019 and winner of six races on the trot. .
Riding with ideal confidence through William Buick, who masterfully put his horse on from the back of the 11-person field, Space Blues posted a normal turn to plow the first runners and achieve a three-quarter victory.
This is one of the most productive racing performances of a horse season that will surely progress even further.
Commenting on the possibility of launching his two sprinters in combination on Arc Day, Godolphin’s trainer Charlie Appleby told Godolphin’s website: “Space Blues is Dubawi’s, and we know what his offspring can do as he grows.
“There are many opportunities at Group 1 point for a horse like Space Blues. We’ll take a look to bring him back to France for the Group 1 Forestry Award.
“Seven stages is your journey. I’m happy to have as many smart horses as you can imagine and if that means making them run together, then it’s a sport. We’ll see who’s the most productive [between him and Pinatubo] in the woods.”
Space Blues in 5-1 co-favourite for the forest with the One Master formed through William Haggas, winner of the Saint Clair Oak Tree Stakes (Group 3) last month at Goodwood in England.
Pinatubo, who won the Jean Prat Award (Group 1) in Deauville last month, has a 7-1 chance.
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