King's Apostle wins for Bernard Kantor.

King's Apostle strikes in Prix Maurice de Gheest

Report: France, Sunday

Deauville: Prix Maurice de Gheest (Group 1) 6½f, 3yo+

KING'S APOSTLE on Sunday gained rich recompense for being hampered in the Darley July Cup last month, when running on gamely to win the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville.

The five-year-old, owned by Bernard Kantor, whose company Investec sponsors the Derby, and trained by William Haggas, was partnered for the first time by Ryan Moore, who kept his mount up to his work close home to defeat outsider Mariol, with fellow British-trained runner Lesson In Humility an honourable third.

King’s Apostle had finished fifth in the July Cup and in the view of connections would have been placed at Newmarket but for being hampered.

Here, he led home a group that raced up the middle of the track to dominate proceedings. Varenar was fourth, Sayif fifth, Serious Attitude eighth and Asset ninth.

The Head family had a disappointing race, as Naaqooscame tenth for Freddie and his sister Criquette's African Rose finished last but one of the 12 runners, and was later found to have bled. She has been retired.

Mid-division early on, Moore began to make a forward move on King's Apostle from 2f out and took the lead just over 1f out.
In the closing stages he was strongly challenged by Mariol and Lesson In Humility, but still had something left in the tank to repel the challengers.

It was the first Maurice de Gheest victory for a British-trained horse since Gary Stevens rode Somnus to victory for Tim Easterby in 2004.


"He quickened up very nicely when the gap came - it's marvellous," said Haggas.

"He ran a great race at York first time out this season and then, unfortunately, they had overwatered at Ascot [in the Golden Jubilee].

"Last time out in the July Cup he got knocked sideways and while he might not have won, he probably would have been placed. He's been knocking on the door in the Group 1s and I think that was thoroughly deserved.

"We're a bit restricted now as to where we can go so it will be off to Haydock for the Sprint Cup, almost certainly.

Moore added: "He is a gutsy individual and we were always travelling well. He picked up and was just doing enough at the end, where he found just that bit more."

Mariol gave Christophe Lemaire a fine ride and trainer Robert Collet said: "It is those English again! It was a good run but he couldn't quite peg back the winner."

Andrew Elliot conjured a great run out of the Alan Jarvis-trained Lesson In Humility, and the jockey said: "She is a very tough filly and ran a good race. She has had a hard season, and may be given a break after this race."

The Aga Khan's Varenar ran a cracker after trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre had dashed back from Arlington Park, where he saddled Alnadana to second place in the Beverly D Stakes.

He said: "I am very happy with his run but he tooka deep breath at exactly the wrong moment. He has proved his class at this level and would have been closer but for that."

Serious Attitude was not a force during the final furlong and a half, and was beaten just over five lengths, while Dettori said of Asset: "We were following the horses on the wrong side and tracking the favourite.

“In the end it was the horses up the middle of the track who filled the major places, but we were beaten by better ones on the day."

Naaqoos failed to fire and his owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum's racing manager Angus Gold said: "He did not pick up at all and was beaten too far out. It is now back to the drawing board and we must see how he is after the race. Freddie Head is going to give the colt a thorough check up."

After seeing African Rose in the unsaddling enclosure, his sister Criquette said: "African Rose has never bled before but it can always happen at any time. I have spoken to Teddy Grimthorpe [owner-breeder Khalid Abdullah’s racing manager] and she will now be retired to stud."

African Rose was second in the Maurice de Gheest a year ago and reached the pinnacle of her career when taking the Ladbrokes Sprint Cup at Doncaster.