Classy two-year-old Belbek provided yet more gloss to his close relative, and Mauritzfontein’s resident sire, Ideal World’s pedigree page when he won the G1 Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at ParisLongchamp on Sunday.
Belbek opened up Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe day with a victory for Andre Fabre in Sunday’s Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.
The 16/1 chance was beaten six lengths by Blackbeard in the Prix Robert Papin at Chantilly in July but he improved for going up in trip on testing ground at ParisLongchamp on Sunday.
It looked like Gamestop might hold on for Maxime Guyon late in the race but Belbek swooped where it mattered under Mickael Barzalona.Betfair Sportsbook introduced the winner at 12/1 in their betting for the Vertem Futurity Trophy at Doncaster later in the season.
“He failed to settle in his first race but he is a good-looking, well-bred horse.” said Fabre.
“Let’s see how he is, but I might take him to the Vertem Futurity Trophy at Doncaster. If he ran again it could be there.”
A two-year-old son of Showcasing, Belbek has now won three of six starts, with his previous wins also including this year’s G3 Prix du Bois.
His dam Bee Queen is a Makfi half-sister to G3 Hampton Court Stakes winner Sangarius, with Bee Queen’s dam Trojan Queen a half-sister to Ideal World and G1 Prix Jean Romanet winner Romantica.
This is also the family of this year’s G1 Grand Prix de Paris winner Onesto.