Manduro romps in Prix d'lspahan

Manduro earned his first Group 1 win at Longchamp in France on Sunday with a handy five-length victory in the $336,000 Prix d'Ispahan.

Victory for the 5-year-old German-bred Manduro was never in doubt. Well placed in third by Stephane Pasquier, the the 4-5 favorite cruised to the lead at the three-sixteenth pole, giving runner-up Turtle Bowl no chance. It was another five lengths back to Stormy River in third. Placed five times in Group 1 races last year, Manduro was following up on equally easy score at Newmarket in the Group 3 Earl of Sefton Stakes. His time for the odd distance of 1 1/8 miles, 55 yards was 1:58.00 on very soft ground.

Manduro's owner, Baron Georg von Ullman, said he would consult with trainer Andre Fabre before deciding between two possible races at Royal Ascot for Manduro, either the one-mile Queen Anne Stakes or the 1 1/4-mile Prince of Wales's Stakes, in which he was third last year behind Ouija Board and Electrocutionist.

* Coquerelle took advantage of a weak field in the Group 1 Prix Saint-Alary as she led throughout under Christophe Lemaire in defeating Believe Me by a half-length in the $336,000 French Oaks prep.

Now undefeated after four starts, the 8-5 Coquerelle covered 1 1/4 miles in 2:11.10 in winning for the first time outside of allowance race company.