Thesecretadversary Confirmed His Place in the Elite with a Brilliant Victory in the Prix Jean Prat
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Following his breakthrough performance in the Jersey Stakes (G3) at Royal Ascot, the rising star took his talents to the turf at Deauville to secure another brilliant triumph
DEAUVILLE, France (Special for Turf Diario).— After showing immense promise throughout much of the season and validating his progress with a victory in the Jersey Stakes (G3) at Royal Ascot, Thesecretadversary firmly established himself among the elite three-year-olds in Europe this Sunday by capturing the Prix Jean Prat (G1-1400m), defeating two classic Guineas winners in the process.
Under a brilliant ride from Christophe Soumillon, the son of St Mark's Basilica set the pace from start to finish and dug deep to repel a late challenge from post-time favorite True Love (No Nay Never). The Newmarket 1000 Guineas (G1) heroine closed ground rapidly in the final yards but had to settle for the runner-up spot, half a length adrift. French challenger Nighttime (Wootton Bassett) completed the podium in third, while Rayif (Sea the Moon), winner of the Poule d'Essai des Poulains (G1), never loomed as a threat.
The victory marked the first European Group 1 success for trainer Fozzy Stack, coming just three years after his previous top-flight triumph with Aspen Grove (Justify) in the Belmont Oaks (G1) in the United States.
"We always thought he was a very good horse. He showed it at Ascot and proved it again today. Things didn't go our way in both Guineas: at Newmarket, he practically defeated himself, and at the Curragh, he never found racing room. We knew he had the quality, although facing two Guineas winners never allows you to come in overly confident," the trainer explained.
The tactical decision proved decisive. In the absence of any true early speed, Soumillon took the initiative from the outset and dictated the tempo completely to his liking.
"Christophe was fantastic. Before the race, he told us that if nobody wanted to lead, he would take it. And that is exactly how it played out; everything worked out perfectly," Stack commented.
Looking ahead, the colt's future path could see him remain at 1,400 meters or even drop back to 1,200 meters. Potential targets on the horizon include the City of York Stakes and the Haydock Sprint Cup (G1).
"Christophe believes he has enough speed to handle six furlongs, and Seamie Heffernan thinks the same. We will now discuss options with the owners to map out his next move," Stack added.
The victory significantly boosts the stallion potential of Thesecretadversary, who is campaigned in partnership by Cayton Park Stud and Sue Magnier, two powerhouse entities in the global breeding industry. It is no coincidence that the Prix Jean Prat has serving in recent years as a prominent launching pad for future sires, as demonstrated by past winners like Too Darn Hot (Dubawi) and Pinatubo (Siyouni).
Beyond the colt's achievement, the race also provided Christophe Soumillon with his first Group 1 victory of the season. The rider maximized the opportunity created by Seamie Heffernan's suspension, writing another successful chapter in a campaign that is beginning to position Thesecretadversary as one of the definitive names of this European crop.
