BIG FIVE Maintains Unbeaten Record

Paris, March 21 (QNA) - BIG FIVE (Frankel x Louvain), owned by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al-Thani, stretched his unbeaten record to four wins in as many starts. He proved a very easy winner on his seasonal debut in the Prix Golf-Restaurant La Forteresse, a class 2 race run over 2,600m at Fontainebleau, France. Again, waiting tactics were deployed and, in the straight, BIG FIVE cut loose by leaving JUST A FORMALITY (Spirit One x Formalite) three and a half lengths in his wake. Trainer, Francis-Henri Graffard, said: "It was quite a fast run race. The horse initially brought up the rear but was travelling comfortably. On the final bend, BIG FIVE was going well within himself, which was a contrast to last year as, at the equivalent stage, things started to unravel as he had a tendency to get outpaced. When Pierre-Charles Boudot manoeuvred his mount for his run, the horse, with his raking stride, gradually picked up. The horse confirmed the progress that he has made during the winter. He's an interesting prospect and definitely a horse endowed with stamina. The plan is to contest a Listed race over 3,000m at Chantilly Prix Right Royal at the beginning of April. BIG FIVE will therefore gradually be stepped up in grade." The yet to be headed BIG FIVE is half-brother of the high class FLOTILLA, owned by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al-Thani, winner of the Gr 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf as a two-year-old and the Gr 1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches as a three-year-old. (QNA)