Fortune favours the brave as Fanshawe and Mendizabal combine for Audarya success

French pari-mutuel punters will be renewing their interest in Newcastle's all-weather action as, just a week after Palace Pier struck in the Jacques le Marois, they allowed another recent Gosforth Park graduate in Audarya to go off at 47-1 before a storming success in the Darley Prix Jean Romanet.

In defence of bewildered turfistes, Palace Pier had won at Royal Ascot in the interim while James Fanshawe had dropped Audarya down to handicap company in search of a confidence boost following a disappointing start to the campaign.

It was also another feather in the cap of Ioritz Mendizabal, who continues to profit from the faith shown in him by British trainers and who only last month proved himself a super sub aboard Mishriff in the Prix du Jockey Club.

"She's a filly I‘ve always loved but we were going nowhere earlier this year," said Fanshawe. "She was unlucky at Kempton and then I don’t know what happened at Pontefract."

Fanshawe was adding to previous wins in the Jean Romanet with Ribbons (2014) and Speedy Boarding (2016).

He said: "It's a race we've always loved as it's the last time the older horses can run without the three-year-olds and we've won it twice before. But I must admit I've been walking my box the last two days wondering if I'd made a mistake."

Audarya carries the former colours of Peter Harris, which now represent his daughter Alison, the widow of Walter Swinburn

Fanshawe added: "It's great for Alison Swinburn because she is the first nice filly she’s had with us. I put Audarya in the Prix de l’Opera this week so we’ll see. We'll enjoy this first."

Audarya was bred by Francois Doumen and his wife Elizabeth at their Haras d'Ecouves.

Doumen said: "I was so relaxed because I never thought she would grab first place, I was just looking for black type, but my goodness she behaved like an angel all the way. Well done to James."

Favourite Nazeef briefly looked a threat in the straight but could not go through with her effort and it was left to Ambition to push Audarya all the way to the line.

"She's amazing and it was a long way back to the third," said Xavier Thomas-Demaulte, trainer of Ambition. "It hasn't been easy to get her ready in the sweltering heat down in the south west. She will go to the Opera next. She has proved she handles every type of racecourse."

Prix Romanet result

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