The good times continue to roll for Cambridge Stud shuttle stallion Hello Youmzain, with his first crop Northern Hemisphere representatives breaking new ground.
The multiple Group One-winning son of Kodiac is the only freshman sire in Europe to have produced a brace of Group winners following the latest success of Electrolyte.
It was a richly deserved victory for the Irish-bred colt in the Gr.3 Prix Eclipse (1200m) at Chantilly at the weekend after his narrow defeat in the Gr.2 Royal Ascot Coventry Stakes (1200m).
It was another close call for Electrolyte, but this time he was on the right side of a tight finish.
"They were taking their time with the camera angles, and I thought poor horse if he’s been done again,” trainer Archie Watson told the Racing Post.
"He deserved that and I think we’re learning more about him. We stepped him up to seven furlongs at Goodwood, but I think he showed there that coming back to six furlongs was the right thing. I think six furlongs on good ground is going to be his thing."
Watson is now considering a return to France in three weeks for the Gr.2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte (1200m).
"If the ground was good, that would be our aim. If he doesn't go there, I would imagine he'll be put away for next year and hopefully he can be a Commonwealth Cup (Gr.1, 1200m) horse, as we know he likes Ascot,” he said.
Should Electrolyte take aim at the Maisons-Laffitte, he would be chasing a notable family double.
The sprint feature was claimed in 2018 by his sire, whose son Beau Gars also won in France at the weekend.
He has now produced 12 winners in Europe from 31 runners and a tally that features the Gr.3 Prix des Chenes (1600m) victor Misunderstood.
Meanwhile, Hello Youmzain’s first Southern Hemisphere crop of two-year-olds are up and running and includes the Darryn and Briar Weatherley-trained Bulgari, a winner at his first trial outing at Rotorua last week.
The colt was sold by breeder Jamieson Park at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale for $220,000 to Weatherley Bloodstock.
He is a son of the stakes performed O’Reilly mare O’Naturelle and the family of the stable’s Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) winner Pier.