Progressive Starspangledbanner Colt Lands Group 3 Prize

Rafale Design (3c Starspangledbanner – Fashion Design, by Montjeu) will be aimed at the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris after gaining his first Stakes win in Thursday’s Group 3 Prix Hocquart at Longchamp.

The Yann Barberot-trained colt shaped like an exciting prospect when recording back-to-back wins by a total of nine lengths at Deauville in November and shaped like in need of the run on return last month. Reunited with Christophe Soumillon on Thursday, he raced towards the back of the field for much of the eleven furlong contest. Asked to quicken two furlongs from home, the chesnut was ridden to lead inside the final furlong and kept on strongly to score by a length and a quarter.

The winning trainer remarked: “I am not surprised to see him win, because he is a good horse and my best three-year-old. He is a good-ground specialist and the rain-softened ground was a real concern for me but obviously he is getting stronger. He has improved with time and stays well, so the Grand Prix de Paris will now be the target.”

Bred by Newstead Breeding, Rafale Design is owned by a partnership featuring Laurent Dassault and Cormac Farrell. The Starspangledbanner colt becomes the first black-type performer out of his Montjeu dam, Fashion Design.