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Fast Raaj lands Prix Djebel at Deauville on Thursday
Former Haunui Farm shuttler Iffraaj (Zafonic) sired his 76th stakes winner on Thursday when Fast Raaj (3 c ex Interesting by Raven's Pass) led home a quinella for the stallion in the Prix Djebel (Gr 3, 1400m) at Deauville.
Last seen finishing fourth in the Prix Montenica (Listed, 1300m), the three-year-old colt drifted left inside the final furlong, but just had enough to repel the advances of Pimento (Iffraaj), eventually beating him by a neck. Prince Lancelot (Sir Prancealot) was another three lengths away in third.
The colt is one of two winners out of dual-winning Raven’s Pass (Elusive Quality) mare Interesting, who is herself a daughter of Group 3 scorer With Fascination (Dayjur), making her a half-sister to Listed scorer With Interest (Selkirk).
The colt’s third dam is three-time Grade 1 scorer Fran’s Valentine (Saros), who is herself the grandam of Australian-bred Mr Stunning (Exceed And Excel), who won three times at Group 1 level in Hong Kong.
Iffraaj (Zafonic) shuttled to Haunui Farm in New Zealand for 12 years siring 25 southern hemisphere-bred stakes winners, headed by Group 1 winners Turn Me Loose, Gingernuts, Jon Snow and Wyndspelle. He was replaced at the New Zealand nursery by his son Ribchester, while it was announced last month that another of his sons - Wootton Bassett - would shuttle to Coolmore Stud in the Hunter Valley for the 2021 breeding season.
1-2 for Iffraaj! Fast Raaj denies @godolphin’s Pimento to take the Group 3 Djebel Stakes at Deauville under @GregoryBenoist1… pic.twitter.com/XLWyUH6aOS
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) April 8, 2021
