Mutual Trust Narrow Winner in Prix Jean Prat

Mutual Trust kept his perfect record intact when he edged out Zoffany and Strong Suit to take the $316,614 Prix Jean Prat (Fr-I) at Chantilly July 3.

The lightly raced son of Cacique, who only made his racing debut in May, remains undefeated in four career starts.

A field of seven 3-yearolds went to the post in the Jean Prat, led by trainer Richard Hannon’s Strong Suit, a son of Rahy who was looking to notch his first group I victory. Hannon and jockey Richard Hughes teamed up to win this event last year with Dick Turpin, and they appeared to hold a strong hand with Strong Suit, who entered the race off an impressive win in the Jersey Stakes (Eng-III) at Royal Ascot.

Another strong contender in the field was Aidan O’Brien’s Zoffany, a group I winner at 2 who most recently was a close second to Frankel in the St. James’s Palace Stakes (Eng-I) last month.

With no true front-runner in the race, Hughes sent Strong Suit to the lead, and the pair proceeded to set a slow pace. They were tracked closely by Maxime Guyon aboard Mutual Trust, and Olivier Peslier and Glorious Sight, the lone filly in the field.

Ryan Moore allowed Zoffany to settle a few lengths off the lead in fourth, as Venomous and Neebras trailed the field. Temp Au Temps, the remaining contestant in the field, was pulled up shortly after the start after refusing to race.

The field remained tightly bunched as they rounded the turn and entered the home straight. With two furlongs remaining, the pace quickened as Hughes set Strong Suit down for the drive. They were immediately joined by Mutual Trust and Zoffany, and the three colts raced as a team toward the wire.

In the final jump it was Mutual Trust, racing in between horses, who was able to get his nose on the wire first. The Andre Fabre-trainee prevailed by a head over Zoffany, who in turn was just a nose in front of Strong Suit.

Final time for the eight furlongs was 1:40.45 over the good turf course.

Teddy Grimthorpe, who is the racing manager for owner Prince Khalid Abdullah’s Juddmonte Farm, told reporters after the race, “He is a very promising colt. He showed lots of tenacity today as well to go with his obvious class. We’re very happy with him and the way he keeps progressing.

“His sire, Cacique, is infertile and Mutual Trust is one of a limited first-season crop of about 30,” Grimthorpe continued. “The options for Mutual Trust now are fairly obvious over a mile. There’s the Prix du Moulin and the Prix Jacques le Marois, where I suppose we could meet Goldikova.”

Mutual Trust was bred in England by his owner. He is out of the stakes-winning Lear Fan mare, Posteritas. He hails from the female family of champions/group I winners Twice Over, Banshee Breeze, All At Sea, and Passage Of Time.