OBSERVATORY WINS ANOTHER GROUP 1
Observatory (Distant View out of Stellaria by Roberto) won the
Gr.1 Prix d’Ispahan in his first start of 2001. The 4YO chestnut
son of Distant View had not raced since last September, when he
defeated 2000 European Horse of the Year Giant’s Causeway in the
Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot.
Observatory fought back a challenge from second-place finisher
Hightori, prompting his jockey, Richard Hughes, to say,
“Observatory is the new iron horse. He’s very tough and refused to
be beaten. He just wouldn’t let the runner-up get by.” Trainer John
Gosden said, “As it happened, it was finally a little too firm for
him at Longchamp. Observatory was only 85 per cent today and only
had four pieces of work before the race. He now goes for the Prince
of Wales’s Stakes. Today was a fine test of stamina and he stayed.
Last year he got the stiff Ascot mile when beating Giant’s Causeway
in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.”
Observatory has now won six of his nine races and was the first
English-trained winner of the d’Ispahan since 1997.
Date:
25 May 2001