Laffon-Parias To Retire At The End Of 2024

Carlos Laffon-Parias, the first Spanish trainer to win the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, announced on Wednesday that he will retire from training at the end of the year.

Based in Chantilly, Laffon-Parias is best known as the trainer of Solemia (Ire) (Poliglote {GB}), who caused an upset when beating leading Japanese hope Orfevre (Jpn) (Stay Gold {Jpn}) in the 2012 running of Europe's premier middle-distance race. He also won the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac on the same card with Silasol (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}), while the likes of Laverock (Ire) (Octagonal {NZ}), Falco (Pivotal {GB}) and Recoletos (Fr) (Whipper) were other top-level winners for their trainer during a career in France spanning more than three decades.

In 2023, Laffon-Parias saddled two new Group 1 winners, including Prix de la Foret heroine Kelina (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) who, the trainer confirmed, will race on as a four-year-old as he prepares to embark on his final season.

Explaining his decision to retire, Laffon-Parias told the Nick Luck Daily Podcast, “The last three years I've talked with my wife regarding the decision to stop and go back home [to Spain]. My sons are now working and have left the house, so it's time for me and my wife to change our lives.

“I'm healthy, I'll be 61 next month. I think when you're healthy is the right time to do it. I've worked all my life from Monday to Sunday and I want to do other things rather than to work 11 months a year, every single day. I think it's the right time to do it, otherwise it might be too late.

“I see a lot of trainers finish their careers because they haven't got any more horses to train or they have financial problems. I don't want to have those problems. I want to stop and I don't need much to live with. We've got a house already in the south of Spain, I'm going to sell my yard, and this is enough for me and my wife.”

Laffon-Parias added of Kelina, “The Wertheimer Brothers have decided to keep her in training and she's a very sound filly. There isn't a race for her until May 1, the Prix du Muguet. That is a Group 2 and then there is Royal Ascot or the Falmouth. We could run in the Lockinge against the colts, but I would prefer to take more time. There are a lot of races for her, but nothing before the middle of the year.”

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New Trainers For Wertheimer Et Frere

Wertheimer and Frere will add two new trainers to its team this year in the form of Yann Barberot in Deauville and Christopher Head in Chantilly, their manager Pierre-Yves Bureau told the Jour de Galop on Thursday.

The two have enjoyed success on French and European racecourses this past season. Their addition to the training ranks comes after the brothers' addition of the Wildenstein Family's Dayton Investments bloodstock portfolio this past August. Bureau also told the JDG that they would be retaining their existing trainers; Andre Fabre, who currently has 22 horses for them at Chantilly; Christophe Ferland, 31 at Chantilly; Carlos Laffon-Parias, also 31 at Chantilly; and Edouard Montfort, with nine at Luche-Pringe, according to the JDG. The 2022 yearlings are expected to join their trainers' strings next week, the JDG reports.

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Kelina Caps Red Letter Day For Frankel In The Foret

A successful ParisLongchamp au revoir for Frankie was denied in Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix de la Foret, with his beloved Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) losing out by half a length to the Wertheimers' fellow TDN Rising Star Kelina (Ire) (Frankel {GB}–Incahoots {GB}, by Oasis Dream {GB}) who put the cherry on the cake for her sire who both directly and indirectly dominated the Arc.

Unplaced twice since beating the G1 Prix du Moulin heroine Sauterne (Fr) (Kingman {GB}) decisively in the G2 Prix de Sandringham at Chantilly in June, the 28-1 shot was always travelling strongly for Maxime Guyon under cover in touch with the pace.

Going better than Kinross once the cut-away was reached in the straight, the Carlos Laffon-Parias-trained homebred drifted across that 3-5 favourite's path 100 metres from the post which was to prompt an inquiry and some anxious moments for connections. Momentarily checked, Frankie had conjured a strong rally from last year's winner to narrow the winning margin but the stewards ultimately ruled that Kelina was value for the win and allowed her to keep it. The G1 Haydock Sprint Cup runner-up Shouldvebeenaring (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) was 1 1/4 lengths away in third.

Kelina, who had approached this card's G1 Prix Marcel Boussac in 2022 unbeaten and started as the 21-10 favourite only to finish last, had looked to have put that behind her when fourth in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and when dominant in the Sandringham. Beating only one home in Deauville's G1 Prix Rothschild and in the G1 Prix du Moulin here last month, she was one that it seemed safe to ignore on the pari-mutuel but Laffon-Parias had always retained faith.

“Last time she came here she didn't run well and we didn't really have an explanation, but the soft ground was obviously not in her favour,” he said. “She didn't have a very good draw in the Moulin and we were going to wait with her, but she just didn't run her race and that allowed her to come here today fresh. We had been invited to go to Keeneland for the Queen Elizabeth II and accepted, but then we made the decision to come here so we are pleased we made the right choice.”

Racing manager Pierre-Yves Bureau stated that the GI Breeders' Cup Mile is on the minds of her owner-breeders. “She could tackle that and she could stay in training next year if Carlos thinks she is in the right condition.”

Despite the interference to Kinross, his trainer Ralph Beckett was refusing to accept that it had cost him the race. “We were second best on the day and that's it. We weren't good enough,” he said.

Middleham Park Racing's Tom Palin was delighted with the effort of Shouldvebeenaring and said, “He's a wonderful horse who always gives his best and yet again ran very well. He's really a 1200-metres horse and he got jostled at the start before getting back on an even keel. This may be the last time that he encounters good ground this year, but the Breeders' Cup is also a possibility. Several stud farms have tabled offers to stand him as a stallion.”

 

Pedigree Notes

Kelina's listed-winning dam Incahoots, who is also responsible for the Listed Prix Petite Etoile runner-up Ansilia (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), cost the operation 420,000gns at the 2015 Tatts December Sale. A full-sister to the dual listed-winning and G3 Prix de Lieurey-placed Dream Clover (GB), her G3 Prix de Flore-winning dam In Clover (GB) (Inchinor {GB}) produced two Group 1 winners at this meeting in Frankel's Prix du Cadran hero Call The Wind (GB) and Prix de l'Opera scorer We Are (Ire).

In Clover also threw another high-class Dansili in With You (GB), heroine of the G1 Prix Rothschild, and is also the second dam of last year's G1 Prix Saint-Alary third Queen Trezy (Fr) (Almanzor {Fr}) and the third dam of the recent G2 Prix de Malleret-placed Yorokobi (Fr) (Camelot {GB}). She hails from the family of the G1 Prix Jean Romanet heroine Aristia (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) and the G1 Hong Kong Vase winner Dominant (Ire) (Cacique {Ire}). Incahoots also has the winner's once-raced 2-year-old stablemate and half-brother Kahoot (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), a yearling full-brother to Kelina named Kindleo (GB) and a colt foal by the same sire again named Epicurien (GB).

 

 

Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
QATAR PRIX DE LA FORET-G1, €350,000, ParisLongchamp, 10-1, 3yo/up, 7fT, 1:17.17, g/s.
1–KELINA (IRE), 127, f, 3, by Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Incahoots (GB) (SW-Fr), by Oasis Dream (GB)
2nd Dam: In Clover (GB), by Inchinor (GB)
3rd Dam: Bellarida (Fr), by Bellypha (Ire)
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O/B-Wertheimer & Frere (IRE); T-Carlos Laffon-Parias; J-Maxime Guyon. *1/2 to Ansilia (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), SP-Fr. €199,990. Lifetime Record: 9-4-1-0, €342,995. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Kinross (GB), 128, g, 6, Kingman (GB)–Ceilidh House (GB), by Selkirk. O-Marc Chan; B-Lawn Stud (GB); T-Ralph Beckett. €80,010.
3–Shouldvebeenaring (GB), 126, c, 3, Havana Grey (GB)–Lady Estella (Ire), by Equiano (Fr). (£40,000 Ylg '21 GOFFUK). O-Middleham Park Racing XVIII; B-Whitsbury Manor Stud (GB); T-Richard Hannon. €40,005.
Margins: HF, 1 1/4, 1HF. Odds: 27.80, 0.60, 35.00.
Also Ran: Pogo (Ire), King Gold (Fr), Exxtra (Fr), Happy Romance (Ire), Sauterne (Fr), National Service (Fr), Breizh Sky (Fr), Topgear (Fr), Fang (Fr), Cachet (Ire), Dabawa (Fr). Video, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Frankel’s Jannah Rose Back With A Win In The Prix Alec Head

Al Shira'aa Farms' bonanza weekend continued apace at Deauville on Sunday, with their star filly Jannah Rose (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) coming back from her midsummer break to win the 10-furlong G2 Sumbe Prix Alec Head which is the re-named Prix de la Nonette. Off since her anti-climactic sixth in the G1 Prix de Diane, the G1 Prix Saint-Alary heroine was restrained to race in third by Christophe Soumillon off the moderate pace set by the G2 Ribblesdale S. runner-up and G1 Irish Oaks fourth Lumiere Rock (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}). Having to fight once she had got alongside that rival 150 metres from the finish, the 7-10 favourite proved equal to the task to prevail by a head. “It's a great honour as, to me, the Head family are one of the biggest families in the racing world so to win the first one under Alec Head's name means a lot to me,” the rider said. “We had a lot of good wins together and while it's always sad to lose somebody so important in racing, he has left a great legacy.”

 

The win had added import, with Carlos Laffon-Parias being the husband of Alec Head's granddaughter Patricia. “It's nice to see her leave her race in the Prix de Diane behind,” the trainer said. “This is the real Jannah Rose. She was a bit fresh and the pace wasn't quick enough for her, but in the end she quickened well and won safely I think. I will keep her over that trip and she will come back in the [G1] Prix de l'Opera.”

For Soumillon, success in the race in its inaugural new guise also carried significant weight. “It's a great honour as, to me, the Head family are one of the biggest families in the racing world so to win the first one under Alec Head's name means a lot to me,” the rider said. “We had a lot of good wins together and while it's always sad to lose somebody so important in racing, he has left a great legacy.”

Pedigree Notes

Jannah Rose's unraced dam Sophie Germain (Ire) (Indian Ridge [Ire}) is also responsible for the G2 Ridgewood Pearl S. winner Creggs Pipes (Ire) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) and the listed-placed Silver Spear (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}). The second dam is the G1 Oaks d'Italia heroine Nydrion (Critique), whose family includes the GI Breeders' Futurity hero and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile runner-up Square Eddie (Smart Strike). She also has a 2-year-old filly by Invincible Spirit (Ire) bought by David Redvers for €280,000 at the Goffs Orby and a colt foal by Oasis Dream (GB).

Sunday, Deauville, France
SUMBE PRIX ALEC HEAD (PRIX DE LA NONETTE)-G2, €130,000, Deauville, 8-20, 3yo, f, 10fT, 2:13.18, vsf.
1–JANNAH ROSE (IRE), 126, f, 3, by Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Sophie Germain (Ire), by Indian Ridge (Ire)
2nd Dam: Nydrion, by Critique
3rd Dam: Nabila, by Foolish Pleasure
(€650,000 Ylg '21 GOFORB). O-Al Shira'aa Farms; B-John Hayes (IRE); T-Carlos Laffon-Parias; J-Christophe Soumillon. €130,000. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Fr, 5-4-0-0, €270,450. *1/2 to Creggs Pipes (Ire) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}), GSW-Ire, $289,014; and Silver Spear (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}), SP-Ire. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Lumiere Rock (Ire), 126, f, 3, Saxon Warrior (Jpn)–Last Gold (Fr), by Gold Away (Ire). (55,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Michael O'Flynn; B-The Last Partnership (IRE); T-Joseph O'Brien. €28,600.
3–Eternal Hope (Ire), 123, f, 3, Teofilo (Ire)–Voice Of Truth (Ire), by Dubawi (Ire). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. €13,650.
Margins: HD, 1HF, 2. Odds: 0.70, 5.10, 9.00.
Also Ran: Pensee Du Jour (Ire), Abha (Fr). Video, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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