Al Shaqab Racing’s Mekhtaal gallops to first Gr1 victory

The Al Shaqab Racing-owned Mekhtaal finished at the top at the Prix d’Ispahan (Gr1) at Chantilly yesterday.
After cantering on the outside of Robin Of Navan, in the lead, he attacked him in the middle of the home straight.  
He kept accelerating and did not let go in order to take the best out of Robin Of Navan, second, half a length behind.
For Mekhtaal, this was his first Gr1 success. Earlier, he had finished second at the Prix d’Harcourt (Gr2) on his return at 4yos and winner of the Prix Hocquart (Gr3) in 2016.
Trainer of Mekhtaal, Jean-Claude Rouget was delighted with the win.
“He has matured this year. We respected him at 3yos knowing that he would be better this year. He had already done an excellent seasonal debut. I really liked the way he performed today and his turn of foot 150m from the post. He could go to Royal Ascot, for the Prince of Wales’s Stakes, and then in the autumn, run the Champion Stakes, in England and Ireland. He beats a real lot of Group horses today, it is really good,” Rouget said.