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Marhaba Ya Sanafi Seeking Classic Double

Twelve horses stood their ground for Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club, led by Jaber Abdullah's homebred G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Marhaba Ya Sanafi (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}), and there will be one supplementary entry in Feed The Flame (Fr) (Kingman {GB}).

The Andreas Schutz-trained Marhaba Ya Sanafi is joined by Yeguada Centurion's Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}), who has won a pair of Group 3 contests for Christopher Head this season and is the current market favourite.

The unbeaten Feed The Flame is trained by Pascal Bary, a six-time winner of the French Classic, who said, “Feed The Flame had a few issues at two and it was only in February that he started to come to hand and he has improved throughout with each run.

“He has only run twice, but he is professional enough that he can handle the Prix du Jockey Club. He's a very big horse and like all big horses, he needed time to grow into himself. At the time the entries were made I never thought he'd be running this Sunday.

“He only made his debut six weeks ago. I thought he would win but I didn't think he would win that easily. We then ran him again quickly because I felt if he had any chance of running in this, he would need time between a second run and a Classic. When he won easily again we then made the decision the supplement him.”

Almost half the likely field is supplied by two stables, with Jean-Claude Rouget keeping Rajapour (Ire) (Almanzor {GB}), Padishakh (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and Ace Impact (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}) in contention, while Aidan O'Brien also has the trio of Adelaide River (Ire) (Australia {GB}), Cairo (Ire) (Quality Road) and Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) still engaged.

The French Classic has long been the target for the John and Thady Gosden-trained Epictetus (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who won the Blue Riband Trial at Epsom for owner/breeder George Strawbridge. Another homebred, the G3 Prix Noailles winner Flight Leader (GB) (Frankel {GB}), represents Juddmonte Farms and Andre Fabre.

Malcolm Parrish's American Flag (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) had the beating of Marhaba Ya Sanafi in the G3 Prix de Fontainebleau before running fourth in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains. He represents the Deauville stable of Yann Barberot, while Chantilly-based Alessandro Botti, whose brother Endo recently won the G2 Derby Italiano with Goldenas (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}), will saddle Listed Prix de l'Avre winner Winter Pudding (Fr) (Seahenge).

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Head Rock Steady as Classic Dream Builds

It has been a good spell for Christopher Head. On Sunday, his colt Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) became the latest group winner for owner-breeder Yeguada Centurion, followed two days later by a TDN Rising Star award for the trainer's first juvenile runner of the season, Ramatuelle (Justify), who demolished her opposition in the Prix du Premier Pas at Chantilly.

This prominent start to the season picks up where Head left off last year: his first Group 1 success came in October's Prix Marcel Boussac with Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), another Yeguada Centurion homebred.

It would be easy to imagine that the 36-year-old has merely waltzed in to pick up the reins upon the retirement of his father Freddy last year, but in fact he started out four years ago with a handful of horses trained from boxes rented from Pascal Bary, saying at the time, “I wanted to be seen as a trainer in my own right.”

That he very much is now. His appearance in the training ranks coincided with the expansion of the breeding operation of Spaniard Leopoldo Fernandez Pujals, whose Yeguada Centurion banner is now represented on the racecourse by the offspring of the mares recruited in France, Ireland, Britain and America at some considerable expense. These included Hardiyna (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), a close relative of dual Derby winner Harzand (Ire), who was bought unraced from the Aga Khan Studs carrying her first foal, who would go on to be named Big Rock and become one of the leading French Classic prospects of the season.

“Many factors affect me when it comes to Big Rock,” says Head, who has nurtured the colt through six starts to date, winning for the first time in a handicap at Chantilly in February before going on to an easy victory in the Listed Prix Maurice Caillault, then Sunday's G3 Prix La Force. What was most taking about his recent win is the manner in which he dominated the race from the off before finding more when asked to go on in the final furlong.

“Starting with the colt himself: he is beautiful, willing in his work and talented. He is also from a renowned Aga Khan maternal family and I have a great respect and admiration for Prince Aga Khan. Being French and a lover of horse racing, how could it be otherwise?

“Big Rock is one of the last offspring of Rock of Gibraltar, who was a fabulous Classic racehorse. During his stallion career, Rock of Gibraltar has produced both Group 1 winners and horses capable of winning more than 10 races in their career. I admire this type of career and it is also the type of pathway that I hope to have with horses that will perform as well on the track as at breeding.”

Head adds, “And last but not least, he is a representative of the Yeguada Centurion colours and their young breeding operation. The Yeguada is the owner that brought me my first group winner, and that is a special attachment in a trainer's career.

“I owe him everything and of course we are nothing as trainers without the right horses.”

That first group winner was Sibila Spain (Ire), who took last season's G2 Prix du Muguet, and she had also been Head's first Classic runner a year earlier when fourth in the G1 Prix de Diane. As well as the success of Blue Rose Cen last year, the stable was also represented by Tigrais (Fr) (Outstrip {GB}), owned by OTI Racing and Gerard Augustin Normand. The winner of the G3 Prix La Rochette, she is another potential Classic contender this year.

In regard to Big Rock's immediate future, Head outlines, “Plan A is to go the Prix de Guiche [on May 9] to prepare for the Prix du Jockey Club. I still want to see how he is after Sunday's race but he seems to have come out of it brilliantly.”

Blue Rose Cen, meanwhile, is set to shed her winter wraps and step back into the limelight at Longchamp on Sunday for the G3 Prix de la Grotte, which could also feature Tigrais, depending on the weather in the interim.

“We are on schedule for everything,” Head says. “Blue Rose Cen is ready for her first race of the season, and of course the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches is going to be the main target.

“She's a fast learner and always wanted to work, and she hasn't changed a bit in that respect. She has strengthened up over the winter. She has a great mental attitude and I think that's what really makes the difference.”

He continues, “We will see after the Pouliches if she can go up to 2,100m for the Prix de Diane, but it's too early to say yet.”

Of her stable-mate, Head adds, “We know that Tigrais doesn't cope with heavy ground, so we will see. At the moment the plan is for her also to go to the Prix de la Grotte, but if it rains all week we won't go there. The only thing that counts is doing what's right for her.”

From that initial team of six horses back in 2019, the inhabitants of his Chantilly stable, which he bought from his father, have grown in number to around 50. Their owners include Eric Puerari, Haras d'Etreham, Guy Pariente, Nurlan Bizakov, Haras de la Gousserie, Qatar Racing, and of course his family's Haras du Quesnay, which has two homebreds by Recoletos (Fr) in the yard.

“We are trying to grow in a way that we are able to keep the quality of work that we are doing right now,” he says. “I am very happy with the team that I've built up and I'm very happy with the owners we have with us who are helping us to grow and to go into those races.

“We bought the stable this year so now we are able to stay in one place. It's good to be able to tell people that we are here to stay for a long time. We are at around 50 horses this year. I think we will stay at this number for now, and we already have what we need for this season, but of course we are open for next season for new owners.”

Last year represented a significant time of change for the Head family and for French racing itself, with the death of patriarch Alec Head at the age of 97 in June, and the retirement of Freddy Head in September. Moreover, the family's revered Haras du Quesnay is also in the process of changing hands. But the name that has become synonymous with Chantilly is still represented among the training ranks by Christopher and his sister Victoria, who has trained her first two winners this year.

“I really want to be able to continue what my grandfather and my father have built,” Head says. “It's hard for me to say that I will be as good as them because they have done so many things that are impressive, but I will try to continue in this way.”

Quizzed by TDN on Tuesday morning as to how his juvenile team for 2023 was shaping up, he had replied, “It's a bit early but will be able to assess the others from what happens today. It's about the first runner, and then everything else sorts itself out after that.”

So, after watching Ramatuelle put clear daylight between herself and her 14 rivals at Chantilly, how's he feeling now?

“I am very happy. I've never had a filly that had that much speed and precocity at the same time. This race was really important and I'm really happy that the stable is capable of having that kind of programme for her,” Head says.

“It's too soon to make firm plans. For now, the plan is to stay in France for her next race, whatever happens. But of course we will have a discussion, and it could be an option to go to Royal Ascot for the Queen Mary, but we will see.”

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Seven Days: La Vie En Rose

Thank goodness for France. While Britain and Ireland mostly pause the serious Flat action in Grand National week, the French Classic trials rolled on with the return of racing at Longchamp on Sunday, which will be backed up by another strong card this coming Sunday.

It was hard not to be impressed by the seasonal debut of Jannah Rose (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who has raced only twice for two wins, and looked a proper Classic prospect for Al Shira'aa Farms and Carlos Laffon-Parias when winning the G3 Prix Vanteaux.

When TDN spoke to Al Shira'aa's manager Kieran Lalor back in February, the regard in which he held this three-parts-sister to the Group 2 winner Creggs Pipes (Ire) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) was clear and he recalled her purchase at the Goffs Orby Sale for €650,000.

“Jannah Rose was quite possibly one of the nicest yearlings I've ever seen at a sale,” he said. “She was a fantastic-looking individual, and she moved great. She was one horse I said to the boss, 'We just have to own her, whatever it takes.'”

Lalor added, “She's one we'll be very excited about.”

The excitement levels have undoubtedly moved up a level following Sunday's black-type victory, both for the Al Shira'aa team and for breeder John Hayes, who was in Paris to cheer on the daughter of his broodmare Sophie Germain (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}).

On Monday, Lalor confirmed that Jannah Rose had come out of the race in good order and will now be aimed at the G1 Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary, which is run on the same card as both French Guineas on May 14, en route to the G1 Prix de Diane. While her dam Sophie Germain was unraced, as explained in a TDN feature of 2021, there are plenty of Classic heroes to be found deep in this family, which pedigree expert Hayes will no doubt have ascertained before purchasing the daughter of Indian Ridge as a foal in 2007. Jannah Rose's grand-dam Nydrion (Critique) won the Oaks d'Italia, and the extended dynasty also includes Derby winners Never Say Die and High Chaparral (Ire), Kentucky Derby winners Swale and Genuine Risk, as well as Ravinella, who won the 1,000 Guineas and Poule d'Essai des Pouliches for Alec Head, the grandfather of Patricia Laffon-Parias, who is married to Jannah Rose's trainer.

All of those named, along with many more horses of note, trace back to Lord Rosebery's 1,000 Guineas winner and Oaks runner-up Chelandry (GB). Foaled in 1894, the influential mare was a member of the sole British crop of Goldfinch (GB), a son of the Triple Crown winner Ormonde (GB) who continued his stud career at Rancho del Paso in California and Kentucky's Elmendorf Stud.

Rock On

A member of the Head dynasty also featured in the success of the other Classic trial winner on Sunday, when Christopher Head saddled Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) to land the G3 Prix la Force in gutsy fashion.

Big Rock continues the burgeoning partnership between Head and owner-breeder Leopoldo Fernandez Pujals of Yeguada Centurion, who struck at the highest level last season with G1 Prix Marcel Boussac winner Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}).

With Big Rock on course for the Prix du Jockey Club, Blue Rose Cen looks set to have her Classic aspirations put on trial in Sunday's G3 Prix de la Grotte.

Big Rock's unraced dam Hardiyna (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) was bought for €72,000 at Goffs when carrying him and, as her name implies, the fourth-generation Aga Khan-bred mare hails from the family which is also responsible for dual Derby winner Harzand (Ire), who is by the same sire as Hardiyna and is a half-brother to her Group 3-winning dam Harasiya (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}).

Yeguada Centurion is listed as the biggest owner in Head's stable, with 10 horses in training there, including recent Chantilly winner Mr Melbourne Cen (Fr) (Kodiac {GB}) and Sabio Cen (Fr) (ZaraK {Fr}), who won last week's Prix Tourbillon.

Chappet Eyes Classic Prize

Fabrice Chappet generally has his horses pretty forward and he has made another good start to the season, saddling two stakes winners in the last week.

Good Guess (GB) (Kodiac {GB}), singled out by the trainer as a juvenile to follow last season, duly won his first two starts at two and was later Listed-placed at Deauville. The Cheveley Park Stud-bred colt, who races for Hisaaki Saito, stepped up another level when landing last Thursday's G3 Prix Djebel, with the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner Belbek (Fr) (Showcasing {GB}) behind him in third.

The grandson of 1,000 Guineas winner Russian Rhythm (Kingmambo) and relation to Irish Oaks winner Alydaress (Alydar) will now have his own shot at a Classic in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains.

On Sunday, Plesant Jane (Fr) (Pivotal {GB}) landed the biggest win of her career on the same turf that one of her most celebrated relatives, Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}), won last year's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

The 4-year-old's victory in the EBF-sponsored Listed Prix Zarkava brought her tally of wins to three, and she is the sole winner so far for her dam Jane The Star (Fr) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), both of whom were bred by and race for Rashit Shaykhutdinov. Grand-dam Jane Eyre (GB) (Sadler's Wells), a half-sister to Alpinista's dam Alwilda (GB) (Hernando {Fr}) raced just once for Aidan O'Brien after topping the Goffs Orby Sale of 2007 at €2.4 million when sold by her breeders Kirsten Rausing and Sonia Rogers.

Honour and Glory

While we await the Craven meeting, William Haggas and his team have been keeping us entertained with further Group 1 exploits in Sydney. This has given rise to the trainer considering operating a satellite yard in Australia.

The very idea should make local trainers quake, for Haggas has targeted The Championships is Sydney with a sniper's precision. Dubai Honour (Ire) (Pride Of Dubai {Aus}) followed Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) in landing the Group 1 double of the Ranvet S. and the Longines Queen Elizabeth S., and the 5-year-old looks likely to take in the G1 QEII Cup in Hong Kong at the end of the month on his way home. Protagonist (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and Young Rascal (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) have also landed Australian group races for Haggas.

There has been only disappointment so far this year for the former Haggas trainee Alenquer (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}), who won last year's G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh and left Newmarket for Mike Moroney's stable following a ninth-place finish in the Arc. The 5-year-old has finished last in both his Australian starts to date, including behind his former stable-mate Dubai Honour on Saturday.

Alcohol Free (Ire) (No Nay Never), who topped last year's Tattersalls December Sale at 5.4 million gns when sold to Yulong Investments, was also underwhelming in her Australian debut when tenth in the G1 Sydney Queen of the Turf S. for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. A Group 1 winner at two, three and four for Andrew Balding, Alcohol Free 'won' her barrier trial at Randwick on 21 March after arriving in Australia, having spent the winter in light exercise in Newmarket.

It was good to see New Zealand breeding to the fore on the second day of Sydney's Championships with the G1 Sydney Cup going to the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Explosive Jack (NZ). The winner two years ago of both the Australian Derby and South Australian Derby, the 5-year-old Explosive Jack is by the globetrotting Jakkalberry (Ire), who was trained by Marco Botti to win the American St Leger and G2 Dubai City of Gold. The son of Storming Home (GB) was also third in the G1 Melbourne Cup and G1 Dubai Sheema Classic before standing at Novara Park Stud in New Zealand, where he died in 2018 from a gut infection.

Pennyweka (NZ) and her Rich Hill Stud-based sire Satono Aladdin (Jpn) were previously mentioned in a recent instalment of Seven Days, and since then Jim Wallace's homebred stable star has added victory in G1 Australian Oaks to her G1 New Zealand Oaks victory. That notable double was most recently achieved by NZ Horse of the Year Bonneval (NZ) (Makfi {GB}) in 2017.

Calyx and Blue Point Off The Mark

In France last week Calyx (GB) joined his stud-mate Magna Grecia (Ire) as another of this year's freshmen to have notched their first winner. His daughter Classic Flower (GB), bred by Petches Farm, is one of three runners for the son of Kingman (GB) and scored on debut for trainer Patrice Cottier at Salon-Provence.

Joining the party at Kempton on Monday was Darley's Blue Point (Ire), whose son Action Point (Ire), trained by Archie Watson, became his first winner from two runners to date.

An Extra Special Coronation?

As most people who followed the racing interests of Queen Elizabeth II will recall, the Derby loomed large in the preparations for her coronation in 1953, with Aureole (GB), bred by her father King George VI, one of the leading fancies for Epsom that same week and ultimately finishing second to Pinza (GB).

Now the prospect of the King and Queen Consort having a runner in a Classic on their coronation day edged a step closer on Monday when Slipofthepen (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) remained unbeaten in two starts.

It is a long shot, but not impossible, that he will head to Newmarket for the 2,000 Guineas, with co-trainer John Gosden appearing to prefer the option of the Heron S. on May 16 before a possible tilt at the St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot. Either way, on the available evidence, Slipofthepen looks a special colt.

For those hoping to see the Royal Studs continue to in the long term, it was encouraging to read the comments of the King and Queen Consort's racing manager John Warren after Slipofthepen won at Kempton.
He said of a possible Guineas run, “As far as the owners are concerned they won't be able to think of anything else but the coronation but they would never prevent the horse participating if we recommended that is where he ought to go.

“It would be an added bonus and they would watch after the event. The King has had very good osmosis in tuning into the bloodstock side of The Queen's life.

“He has always said when he had the responsibility of taking the bloodstock portfolio on he would take it seriously and he has, wonderfully supported by the Queen Consort at the same time. It is a wonderful thing for racing they have both taken such an interest.”

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