PALLACE PIER MAINTINED his unbeaten record with a dominant display under Frankie Dettori in the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville.
John Gosden’s youngster made a huge impression on his racecourse debut at Sandown 12 months ago – but rather than being thrown in at the deep end, the son of Kingman won a minor novice event at the same venue before being packed up for his winter break.
Palace Pier’s seasonal reappearance in a handicap on the all-weather at Newcastle was similarly low-key, but he left nobody in any doubt about his ability at Royal Ascot as he got the better of Pinatubo with a performance of class and courage in the St James’s Palace Stakes.
Dettori opted to head for France, despite travel restrictions meaning he will need to quarantine for 14 days on his return to the UK, and he has since announced he will stay there for the Prix Morny next weekend.
While the Italian will therefore miss this week’s Ebor Festival at York, and further meetings once back in Britain, Palace Pier was a warm order to double his top-level tally and claim his fifth win from as many starts.
Dettori sat last for much of the straight-mile, and there must have been a few moments of worry for Palace Pier’s supporters when he came under pressure with a couple of furlongs still to run on the heavy ground.
However, the three-year-old responded generously to grab the lead before kicking clear for an ultimately emphatic win.
Jessica Harrington’s Coronation Stakes heroine Alpine Star was a clear three-quarter-length second, with fellow Irish challengers Circus Maximus and Romanised finishing third and fifth respectively for Aidan O’Brien and Ken Condon.
Brilliant colt! Palace Pier and @FrankieDettori win the Group 1 Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard-Jacques Le Marois for John Gosden! #WinAndYoureIN pic.twitter.com/ccmf7NZypd
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) August 16, 2020
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