Wizz Kid Stops Mayson in Prix de l'Abbaye

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Photo: Trevor Jones

Wizz Kid comes on late to win the Qatar Prix de l'Abbaye de Lonchamp.
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Maeve Mahony’s Wizz Kid came with a storming late run to win the Qatar Prix de l’Abbaye de Lonchamp (Fr-I) on Oct. 7, denying favorite and runner-up Mayson in tthe opening Thoroughbred race on the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) card.

The 4-year-old Whipper  filly is a homebred of Mahony’s Ballylinch Stud in Ireland and trained in France by Robert Collet. She overtook Mayson nearing the finish line, halting a string of nine previous wins in the event by British-trained runners.

Wizz Kid, who won by a neck, earned her first win at the top level and made amends for her fifth-place finish in last year’s edition of the race.

Wizz Kid, outrun early, was full of run on the testing ground when Mayson and Hamish McGonagall spurted away in the final 200 meters in a battle to the finish. She closed furiously for the narrow victory, covering 1,000 meters (about five furlongs) under Gerald Mosse in 1:01.17 on turf rated as heavy.

Mayson, starting for the first time since romping to a five-length win in the Darley July Cup (Eng-I) July 14 at Newmarket, held for second while Hamish McGonagall finished a half-length back in third in the 18-horse field.

Second to Moonlight Cloud in the Prix Maurice de Gheest (Fr-I) Aug. 5 at Deauville, Wizz Kid won the Prix du Gros-Chene (Fr-II) for the second straight year in June at Chantilly. Entering off a sixth-place finish in the Betfred Sprint (Eng-I) Sept. 8 at Haydock, she improved to two wins in five starts this year and has four wins and three seconds from 14 lifetime starts. Her record also includes a runner-up finish in the QIPCO British Champions Sprint Stakes (Eng-II) last season.

“She’s been unlucky in a couple of the big sprints before, but it’s nice everything has gone her way,” Ballylinch racing manager John O’Connor told The Guardian. “She loved the fast pace and finished off well, so she deserves it.

“We will consider going to Ascot on (British Champions Day Oct. 20) now because she doesn’t have to carry a group I penalty there.”

Wizz Kid, produced by stakes-placed winner Lidanski, by Soviet Star, is a half sister to French stakes winner Mustaheel.

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