Electro-lightning: front-running victory (just!) in French juvenile speed test

Electrolyte – the apple of trainer Archie Watson’s eye since his purchase at the spring breeze-up sales – had promised so much but, until today, somehow failed to deliver. The strapping colt, a lookalike first-crop son of the equally imposing Hello Youmzain, had failed to shine in Group 2 assignments at Newmarket’s July Festival and at the Qatar-sponsored Glorious Goodwood meeting over the summer. This, however, in the thin September sunshine, was much more like it.

Back at six furlongs in the Group 3 Prix Eclipse at Chantilly on the outskirts of Paris, he jumped into an early lead from his favourable number one draw next to the running rail… and simply stayed there!

We say ‘simply’ – in truth, Electrolyte benefitted from a finely judged pace-setting ride from Mikael Barzalona, and then clung on bravely for victory as smart French filly Polyvega sought to close him down. On the line, Electrolyte was on the shortest part of his stride, his nose raised, just as Polyvega stretched out, head down. How the judge split the pair we’re not sure; we’re just very glad he did. The official verdict was ‘nez’: ‘pixel’ might have been more appropriate as no nose is this small!

But it was all Electrolyte deserved: having won on debut back in June, he was most unfortunate to be second in the Group 2 Coventry Stakes on the opening afternoon of Royal Ascot. That day he was beaten by Rashabar, who ran some 30m away on the far side of the track, well out of his line of sight. The margin of defeat: a nose.