Excellent G1 Prix Jean Prat second for Space Blues

Space Blues ran the best race of his progressive career when runner-up in the G1 Prix Jean Prat over the straight seven furlongs at Deauville, France, on Sunday, 7 July.

The three-year-old Dubawi colt has improved with every race and ran on well to be the three-length second to Too Darn Hot, Europe’s champion two-year-old of 2018, on ground described as good. The winner’s time was 1m 21.29s.

Space Blues in turn finished two lengths ahead of the third, Fox Champion, in the 12-runner field, while another Godolphin runner, Munitions (Andre Fabre/Mickael Barzalona), came home fourth, another length and a half in arrears.

The field split into two and James Doyle held up Space Blues towards the rear of the group racing towards the centre of the course as Fox Champion set a good pace up front.

Space Blues followed Too Darn Hot through as they improved positions with two furlongs remaining, but could make no impression on the new leader inside the final furlong despite going clear of the others.

Trainer Charlie Appleby commented: “I was delighted with his performance.

“As I said before, we all had the winner to beat if he turned up on his ‘A’ game, but I am very pleased with our horse.

“Space Blues has stepped up again and is placed in a G1 now. I think we will have a little bit of fun with him in the autumn.”

This was the first time Space Blues had run in a G1 contest. He was beaten a head in the G3 Jersey Stakes, also over seven furlongs, at Royal Ascot, UK, on Saturday, 22 June.

Before that he captured a seven-furlong Listed event at Epsom Downs at the end of May after winning a York handicap at the same trip decisively earlier that month.