Group 2 Success For Son Of Rock Of Gibraltar

The Wertheimer family’s Ziyad (4g Rock Of Gibraltar - Arme Ancienne, by Sillery) gained a well-deserved Group success when taking Sunday’s Group 2 Grand Prix de Deauville.

Narrowly beaten by Coronet last time out in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, he also claimed runners-up honours in his previous start of the season in the Group 2 Grand Prix de Chantilly. The C Laffon-Parias-trained four-year-old was sent off second favourite for the mile and a half test, with favoritism awarded to Hardwicke Stakes second Nagano Gold.

Olivier Peslier settled Ziyad in second, applying pressure from two furlongs out, with his mount obliging to lead soon after. Staying on well inside the final furlong, he was always doing enough to hold off Soft Light by half a length, with another two lengths back to the favourite in third.

Now a dual Stakes winner, Ziyad is the best performer out of his dam, Arme Ancienne, a black-type half-sister to the top-class Aquarelliste (Danehill) and Artiste Royal (Danehill).

Rock Of Gibraltar himself enjoyed much success on the track in France, capturing the Group 1 Grand Criterium by three lengths as a juvenile and the Group 1 Prix du Moulin the following year. The son of Danehill commands €7,500 at Castlehyde Stud.