Shamardal Back For Classic Glory Shamardal made all under Frankie Dettori to land the Gainsborough Poule d?Essai de Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) at Longchamp on Sunday. The son of Giant?s Causeway, representing Godolphin and Saeed bin Suroor, was quickly out in front and went for home in the finishing straight. However, he had to be driven right out to repel the challenge of Jamie Spencer on the David Wachman-trained Indesatchel, who was finishing very fast having taken a while to pick up. John Hammond?s Gharir was a close third. The champion European juvenile colt last year when trained by Mark Johnston, Shamardal was bouncing back from a disappointing performance in the UAE Derby back in March, when he was a tame ninth. The win was a third in the race for Godolphin following Vettori (1995) and Bachir (2000). 'It is great to see last year?s champion European two-year-old restore his reputation,' said racing manager Simon Crisford. 'Everything that could go wrong in Dubai that night did, but he has shown here his true quality. 'He is entered in everything from the St James?s Palace to the Epsom Derby. I will have to confer with Sheikh Mohammed as to where we will go next.' Shamardal is now as short as 10-1 from 20s with Coral for next month?s Vodafone Derby. 'After the disappointment of Dubawi at Newmarket and this colt at Nad Al Sheba, Godolphin may now have a worthy contender to give Frank ie Dettori that elusive first Derby win,' said the firm?s representative David Stevens. The run of Indesatchel vindicated the decision to supplement him at a cost of ?24,000 earlier this week, although rider Jamie Spencer said being drawn out wide in stall 14 had not helped him. ? PA Sport
