Three year-old Starspangledbanner colt Rafale Design is in hot form this year winning the Group III Longchamp Prix Hoquart (2200m) last month and then at Chantilly on Sunday he added the Group III Prix du Lys Longines (2400m) to his tally.
Trained by Yann Barberot and ridden by Christophe Soumillion, Rafale Design scored by half a length and has now won four of six starts with the Group I Grand Prix de Paris right on his radar, although that is no certainty given he is entered for the Goffs London Sale on Monday. Click here to see his page.
He was sold initially as a foal at Goffs for €48,000 and then was re-offered the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale where he made €75,000 to the bid of CF Bloodstock and now has a large ownership group that have decisions to be made.
“I have rarely trained a horse of such quality—he’s really good,” Yann Barberot said.
“I needed this race to get him to the Grand Prix de Paris. I think he’s really made for that. What will happen tomorrow will happen, but I will have done my job.”
Rafale Design is the first winner from placed Montjeu mare Fashion Design, a daughter of US Group I winner Sense of Style.
He looms as a colt that would make plenty of appeal to Australian investors looking for that elite middle distance horse for our big money races in that distance range.
