Best of the Bests Upsets Banks Hill in Prix d'Ispahan

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Best of the Bests rebounded from a seventh-place finish in the Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) to upset Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (gr. IT) winner Banks Hill in the Prix d'Ispahan (Fr-I) on Sunday at Longchamp. The 5-year-old son of Machiavellian earned his first career group I victory, going wire-to-wire in completing the 9.25 furlongs in 1:51.4 on good turf at the French track.

Under Frankie Dettori, Best of the Bests was sent to the early lead, then repelled a bid from Banks Hill at the top of the stretch before notching the half-length victory over Poussin.

"Best Of The Bests deserved his group I success," said Dettori. "He has got a very big heart and has been in great form. He is very versatile and acts on both turf and dirt surfaces."

Banks Hill finished another length back in third, with Execute last of the four runners.

"Banks Hill was travelling well, but basically she needed the run and blew up," jockey Olivier Peslier told Reuters.

The marks the fifth in 15 career starts for the Saeed bin Suroor trainee. Earlier this year, he won round two of the Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid al Maktoum Challenge (UAE-III) for the second straight year. The Godolphin runner also won the Prix Guillaume d'Ornano (Fr-II) as a 3-year-old and the Solario Stakes (Eng-III) in his second career start the previous year.

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