Al Shaqab Racing’s Sayyal gets off the mark in style

Having only his second start, Sayyal, who is trained by Henri François Devin, improved on his debut fifth place over the same distance at Chantilly to land this maiden with ease, under a confident ride from Maxime Guyon.

The Al Shaqab Racing-owned Sayyal (IRE) (Shalaa x Bea Remembered) took the Prix Vichy Laboratories, a seven-furlong Maiden for two-year-olds, at Vichy, France, on Wednesday. Having only his second start, Sayyal, who is trained by Henri François Devin, improved on his debut fifth place over the same distance at Chantilly to land this maiden with ease, under a confident ride from Maxime Guyon. The Joanna Francis Hughes-trained and Theo Bachelot-ridden Barney’s Gift (FR) (Johnny Barnes x Diamond Surprise) cut out the early running and took the field along at a steady gallop, with Sayyal settled in mid-division. With the field tightly bunched as they turned for home, Guyon angled Sayyal to the outside of the field, but sat patiently as the sprint for home started. After taking a moment or two to get rolling, Sayyal stayed on strongly on the wide outside and swooped past his rivals to win by two lengths at the post. Barney’s Gift took second place and his half-brother the Matthieu Palussiere-trained and Alexis Pouchin-ridden Mr Gnok Barnes (FR) (Johnney Barnes x Celesteen) was third by a further half-length margin. Bred by his owners, Sayyal is by Shalaa (Invincible Spirit), who stands at Haras de Bouquetot. Sayyal’s dam Bea Remembered (Doyen) produced Stormy Antarctic (Stormy Atlantic) who landed four Group wins and was runner-up in the Group One Prix d’Ispahan.