Victory in the Prix Niel! Fantastic Moon shows his "A-Game" in Plan B
10. Sep 2023
What a performance by the reigning Derby winner Fantastic Moon! The Sea The Moon son, trained by Sarah Steinberg for Liberty Racing 2021, won the €130,000 Group II Prix Niel over 2400 metres at Paris-Longchamp on Sunday. In the saddle was Rene Piechulek, who took Torquator Tasso to a triumph in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe two years ago over track and distance.
The Prix Niel was the alternative to the Großer Preis von Baden, from which the Derby winner had been withdrawn at short notice due to unsuitable ground conditions. With this win, Fantastic Moon has made himself known internationally since he relegated none other than Feed The Flame, currently co-favoured for the Arc, to second place.
As was to be expected, Feed The Flame's pacemaker King Of Records took care of the pace from the get-go, which naturally suited the guest from Germany. He moved into second position early on so that Piechulek was able to keep an eye on how the race would unfold. When the pacemaker had played out in front, Fantastic Moon went into action and took the lead. The Sea The Moon son, bred by Count and Countess von Stauffenberg, was able to make up ground again and again, so that even the trailing Feed The Flame (Pascal Bary) under Christophe Soumillon could no longer pose a threat to the German derby winner. Bravais (Andre Fabre) ridden by Bauyrzhan Murzabayev finished in third place behind Feed The Flame.
Incidentally, there has never been a German victory in the Prix Niel. Fantastic Moon (6.1) made it possible this Sunday.