3 minute read

Al Naamah received an introductory quote of 20-1 for next year's Investec Oaks after the record-breaking purchase made an impressive winning racecourse bow at Chantilly.

Sheikh Joaan's Al Shaqab Racing operation paid the highest price for a yearling in European auction history when spending five million guineas on the full-sister to Oaks winnner Was, by Galileo out of Alluring Park.

The Andre Fabre-trained Al Naamah was seen a little earlier than might have been expected when taking to the track in the seven-furlong Prix de Pontpoint but she emerged a comfortable winner.

Maxime Guyon and the even-money favourite raced prominently and eventually beat a previous winner, Kenouska, by two lengths.

Harry Herbert, Al Shaqab's racing advisor, told Equidia: "I was very impressed, she did it very easily.

"She wouldn't blow a candle out. Andre likes her a lot and she's shown today that she could be very special.

"She's a beautiful specimen and has a fantastic pedigree. She's got her whole racing career ahead of her.

"To start like this, I think everyone can see she's a filly with a terrific future. But it's all ahead of her, this is just the beginning.

"I think Andre wants to see how she come out of this and probably have one more run before heading into the Group One autumn races at Longchamp at the Arc meeting."

There was a reverse later on the Chantilly card for Al Shaqab, as the Alain de Royer-Dupre-trained Irish Oaks entrant Jarada was only fourth on her debut in a 10-furlong maiden under Frankie Dettori.