Kiseki Third in Arc Trial - Prix Foy
Japan, Racing News, 19.09.19: Although Japan has three Arc hopefuls, only Kiseki, the Katsuhiko Sumii-trained 5yo son of Rulership, got a prep on French turf, in the Prix Foy, which is considered a fantastic lead up to the Gr.1 Prix de La Arc de Triomphe which is currently headlined by Enable.
Looking to give Japan its fourth win of the Prix Foy and become Japan’s third horse to capture the race, Kiseki, with Christophe Soumillon in the saddle, was instead given a tough run for his money.
A tiny field of four ranging in age from 5 to 7 and all running under 58kg featured Waldgeist, a 5yo from the Andre Fabre stables who won the Foy last year and ran fourth in the 2018 Arc.
True to recent form, Kiseki broke well, and immediately took the lead, setting a solid pace with favorite Waldgeist settling directly behind. The field held steady running head to tail until well into the straight, where Kiseki was passed 200 meters out by Waldgeist, then by Way to Paris.
Waldgeist lengthened his lead, easily pulling away from Way to Paris, with Cristian Demuro up, to scoop the race by two lengths with no urging from 26yo Frenchman Pierre-Charles Boudot. Kiseki held his ground as best he could and managed to finish in third a length behind the runner-up and only a head in front of Silverwave.
Four times Japanese horses have finished second in the Arc, but none has yet to win it, which has established the Longchamp icon as Japanese horsemen’s holy grail. This will be Sumii’s second horse aimed at the Arc and his third bid.
Victory has continued to elude Kiseki, whose last win was the 3yo classic Kikuka Sho in 2017, but he nonetheless has come close, running second in three of his last five starts prior to the Prix Foy, all Grade 1 events, including last year’s Japan Cup behind Almond Eye.
Kiseki is to join two other Japan-based horses in the Arc this year’s Tenno Sho winner Fierement and 2018 Arima Kinen (The Grand Prix) champ Blast Onepiece, who arrived in Newmarket.
Credit: JRA