Le Havre’s Wonderful Tonight Dismisses Hardwicke Opposition

There was one certainty in Saturday's G2 Hardwicke S. and that was that Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) would love the underfoot conditions and despite trainer David Menuisier's misgivings about her readiness, Christopher Wright's G1 Prix de Royallieu and G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. heroine was able to register an impressive win on her comeback. Keen initially for William Buick before being granted a lead, the 5-1 shot moved three-wide on the home bend and had plenty in reserve to seize the advantage two out en route to a 1 1/2-length defeat of the 9-4 favourite Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) as Hukum (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) finished the same margin back in third. “When I rode her on Champions Day, I rode her like a real stayer and made plenty of use of her but today she really took me by surprise when she quickened up,” Buick said. “She's top-class and handles this ground well, unlike others, and showed a turn of foot today which she hadn't before. It was her first start of the year, so I thought I'd take a lead and she dropped her head after a couple of furlongs. She's very versatile tactically, as long as she doesn't get chased along too early, and she has a big year ahead.”

Wonderful Tonight, who unusually broke her maiden at Saint-Cloud in a 10-furlong maiden at two, was fourth in Newbury's Listed Abingdon Fillies' S. over that trip on her 3-year-old bow last June before running second to the high-class Valia (Fr) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in the Listed Prix de Thiberville over this distance at ParisLongchamp July 23. Turning the tables on that rival when making all in the G3 Prix Minerve at Deauville in August, she was fifth in the G1 Prix Vermeille also over 12 furlongs on livelier ground back at ParisLongchamp in September prior to her victories in the 14-furlong Royallieu there and British Champions Fillies & Mares S. over this track and trip.

Free initially before Buick found cover behind Thunderous (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) as fellow Mark Johnston trainee Sir Ron Priestley (GB) (Australia {GB}) took up pace-setting duties, Wonderful Tonight had everything covered behind with Broome tracking her but unable to begin to match her change of pace after straightening up. Just as Fanny Logan (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) had in this 12 months ago, she was quickly gone beyond recall with the colts beaten up in her wake. David Menuisier was leaving no one in any doubt as to the importance of the moment in his training career afterwards. “She keeps on amazing me–she is so game and tries hard, as she's only 85% fit today,” he said. “She runs her heart out and I'm so proud of her–no words can describe what it means. You carry it like a monkey on your back until it happens and I'm pleased that Her Majesty managed to come to see Wonderful Tonight! She will go where the ground is softest, whether that's in the [July 4 G1] Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, or the [G1] King George [VI and Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot July 24] or the [Aug. 19 G1] Yorkshire Oaks–anywhere over a mile four where there is a good downpour. The [Oct. 3] Arc is the target. Would we try her on good ground before that? I don't know.”

The success was also a first for Christopher Wright, who said, “I couldn't believe it. What a filly. She is amazing. I have been running horses here for 40 years, almost every year at least one, sometimes several. I've never ever had a winner at Royal Ascot–lots of seconds, lots of very good horses. Culture Vulture, who won a Classic, was second twice, but I've never had a winner here. I almost can't believe it–I thought I never ever would have a winner here, but I have. It means everything, actually. There are winners and winners, but a Royal Ascot winner. I've won a lot of very good races, but to win at Royal Ascot is like I've died and gone to heaven.”

“After last year, when we almost ran Wonderful Tonight in the Arc, we thought that we would target the Arc this year. I know that's like shooting for the moon and it's a pretty tough target to aspire to, but that has been the target and her programme has been based round it, so we didn't want her to start the season too early,” Wright added. “We don't think she's a filly who will like a mid-season break particularly, so we wanted to start the season and gradually bring her along so she could peak on the first weekend of October. This was step one of that plan.”

Wonderful Tonight, who was a €40,000 private purchase at the 2018 Arqana August Sale, is a daughter of Salvation (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}) whose first progeny was the stakes winner Penjade (Fr) (Air Chief Marshal {Ire}). They are out of the Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial scorer Birdie (GB) (Alhaarth {Ire}), who produced the GIII Providencia S. scorer Hostess (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}). Birdie is kin to the listed-winning Fickle (GB) (Danehill), whose G3 Dahlia S.-winning daughter Tarfah (Kingmambo) was responsible for the G1 2000 Guineas, Epsom and Irish Derby hero and leading sire Camelot (GB) by Salvation's sire Montjeu. Also connected to the G1 Epsom Oaks heroine Polygamy (GB), Salvation's 2-year-old colt by Recorder (GB) was bought by Haras de Montfort and Preaux for €70,000 at the Arqana Deauville October Yearling Sale. Her yearling filly is by the same sire.

Saturday, Royal Ascot, Britain
HARDWICKE S.-G2, £160,000, Ascot, 6-19, 4yo/up, 11f 211yT, 2:35.31, sf.
1–WONDERFUL TONIGHT (FR), 124, f, 4, by Le Havre (Ire)
1st Dam: Salvation (GB), by Montjeu (Ire)
2nd Dam: Birdie (GB), by Alhaarth (Ire)
3rd Dam: Fade (GB), by Persepolis (Fr)
(€40,000 Ylg '18 ARAUG). O-Christopher Wright; B-Ecurie La Cauviniere (FR); T-David Menuisier; J-William Buick. £90,736. Lifetime Record: Hwt. 3yo-Fr at 14f+, G1SW-Eng & Fr, 9-5-1-1, $595,662. *1/2 to Penjade (Fr) (Air Chief Marshal {Ire}), SW-US & MSP-Fr, $376,306. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Broome (Ire), 127, h, 5, Australia (GB)–Sweepstake (Ire), by Acclamation (GB). (€120,000 RNA Ylg '17 GOFOR; 150,000gns Ylg '17 TATDEY). O-Masaaki Matsushima, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Epona Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £34,400.
3–Hukum (Ire), 127, c, 4, Sea the Stars (Ire)–Aghareed, by Kingmambo. O/B-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd (IRE); T-Owen Burrows. £17,216.
Margins: 1HF, 1HF, 2HF. Odds: 5.00, 2.25, 8.00.
Also Ran: Thunderous (Ire), Albaflora (GB), Japan (GB), Sir Ron Priestley (GB), Ilaraab (Ire), Highest Ground (Ire), Deja (Fr). Scratched: Bangkok (Ire), Logician (GB), Mogul (GB), Pablo Escobarr (Ire), Tiger Moth (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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Wonderful Tonight Likely For G1 Cazoo Coronation Cup

Christopher dual Group 1 winner Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) is on target for a start in the June 4 G1 Cazoo Coronation Cup at Epsom. A winner of the G3 Prix Minerve last August, she scooped the G1 Qatar Prix Royallieu two starts later on Oct. 3 and doubled down with a win in the Oct. 17 G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. at Ascot for trainer David Menuisier. The Coronation Cup will be her first start as a 4-year-old.

Menuisier said, “I think the timing of the Coronation Cup is perfect in early June as she wasn't quite ready to go to the Middleton at York this week. We didn't want to put the pressure on her too much for York as the Arc is the big aim this season and she will have a sequence of runs ahead of that run in France on the first weekend in October. If we start in June with her that would be fine.

“Although the timing is right we would only really contemplate it as an option if it was really wet as I don't think galloping downhill would necessarily be for her unless the ground was soft. You have to have entries in races like this though in case the ground is in her favour.

“She seems a stronger filly than last year and looks lovely in her coat. Her muscle definition looks great. It was fantastic and very sporting of her owner Christopher Wright to keep her in training this year as a lot of owners would have retired her at the end of last season.”

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Menuisier Focused On Arc With Wonderful Tonight

Christopher Wright's dual Group 1-winning mare Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) is likely to have a later start to her 4-year-old campaign, with all roads leading to the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, according to trainer David Menuisier.

Wonderful Tonight won the G3 Prix Minerve last summer before scoring at the top level for the first time in the G1 Prix de Royallieu over 14 furlongs. Rather than supplementing for the Arc, connections opted to take in the G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares S. over the same mile and a half trip, which she won by 2 1/2 lengths.

“She's back in training, she's been back in about four or five weeks now, but we are just going to take our time with her,” Menuisier said. “She's not the kind of filly you can stop and start with. The classic French way to prepare for the Arc is to have a spring campaign, then a summer break and come back for the autumn, but once you get going with her, she really doesn't understand the summer break. The idea would be to have four or five races in consecutive months leading up to the Arc, so we don't want to run too early and because of that, I don't really have any strong plans.”

Menuisier said he will be hoping for plenty of rain wherever Wonderful Tonight does run.

“She's entered in the [G2] Middleton at York next month and the [G1] Coronation Cup, but I don't think Epsom would really be her favourite option unless the ground came up very soft. She's usually a bit keen and even on good ground, I could see her doing too much down the hill there and not finishing her race.

“Anything quicker than good wouldn't really rock my boat for her. I wouldn't want her to have too many hard races on the way to October, although obviously as a dual Group 1 winner you are always going to be up against good horses, wherever you run. She will probably be entered in races like the [G1] King George [VI and Queen Elizabeth S.] and then we'll just be hoping for a rotten summer. Even if the weather doesn't favour us, we know we'll have to run her somewhere to get her ready.

“There's also options in France–the [G2] Grand Prix de Chantilly at the Jockey Club meeting would be one and the [G1] Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud is another. She owes us nothing though and we will respect her.”

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David Doing A Wonderful Job Against Goliath

Triumph and disaster. In racing, the two are rarely far from each other. For David Menuisier to cast his mind back to last autumn will doubtless bring mixed emotions.

At his local course of Goodwood on Sept. 23 he lost the horse who played an enormous part in the growing success of his stable, Thundering Blue (Exchange Rate). The 7-year-old's fatal injury in the listed Foundation S. was a cruel blow which brought the trainer and his partner Kim to tears. But when the racing gods take, they so often give something back and, while nothing could fully compensate the Menuisier team for the death of the much-loved grey, less than a fortnight later the trainer celebrated his first Group 1 success in his home country of France.

The progression of Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) from a “lanky, unfurnished” yearling to a fully-flegded Group 1 star has not gone unnoticed. As we speak, Menuisier is occupied overseeing a yard extension. His excellent grasp of idiomatic English leads him to explain that he is “dotting the 'i's and crossing the 't's so that we can have a smooth transition from having 45 horses to about 70 or 75.”

He adds, “It's about making sure we hit the ground running.”

Menuisier certainly ended the 2020 season in some style. Following her victory in the G1 Qatar Prix de Royallieu on Arc weekend, Wonderful Tonight backed up a fortnight later to win the G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. to set the seal on her trainer's most successful year since he set up at Pulborough in 2014. From his relatively small team, he is now responsible for one of the best middle-distance fillies in Europe, with Wonderful Tonight's official rating of 117 placing her behind only the Oaks winner Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in this sphere.

“Last year was just a weird year,” says Menuisier. “In a normal season she probably could have prepared for races like the French Oaks but because of the lockdown it was just very hard to get your head around things and get the horses to peak. This filly is very active, so not knowing when the races were going to start again I just kept the lid on her for as long as possible and she wasn't ready for those Classics when they came up. We just built her up as we went along and at the end of the day she did herself justice.”

With Wonderful Tonight's main target of this year being the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Menuisier is giving her an extended nearby break nearby at Arundel and will bring her back into training later this month.

“She gets fit really quickly because she's so active so I don't want to bring her in too early.  She's only down the road so I pop in and see her regularly,” he adds.

Wonderful Tonight runs in the colours of successful owner-breeder Chris Wright and, like so many runners owned by the co-founder of Chrysalis Records, she has a song title for a name. In her case, however, she is not a product of Wright's Stratford Place Stud. Her acquisition at the Arqana August Yearling Sale could be said to have been fortuitous. Wright had just sold the day's top lot for €360,000 to Godolphin. Meanwhile Menuisier had been approached by Wonderful Tonight's breeders, Sylvain Vidal and Mathieu Alex, after the filly had been led out of the ring unsold in the same session.

“I saw the filly and I'm not going to lie: she was a lanky, unfurnished filly and she didn't look much in fairness, but she was a half-sister to a stakes horse already and it's the family line of Camelot (GB). Her dam is by Montjeu (Ire), which is something I've always liked, and of course she is by Le Havre, the same sire as my first stakes winner, Havre De Paix (Fr),” Menuisier recalls.

“I bumped into Chris and I wasn't really thinking of that at the time but I said to him that she was really very little risk if we could buy her for €40,000. He said if I liked her then I should have her vetted, and my feeling was that if she won her maiden she would retain her value. Two Group 1s later it's a dream come true really.”

Wright, who has previously raced Dark Angel (Ire), the homebred Bungle Inthejungle (GB), and Breeders' Cup winner Chriselliam (Ire), now has another four horses in training with Menuisier in Sussex and has been a patron of the trainer almost from the outset of his career.

“Chris sent us our first yearling when we had only 16 or 17 horses,” Menuisier adds. “For a major owner like him to support a small trainer was very flattering. I couldn't be more pleased that I managed to find him such a fantastic filly to thank him for his support.”

With four wins—three of those coming in her native country—from eight runs, Wonderful Tonight could yet make an even bigger name for herself. Clearly very effective on soft or heavy turf, a campaign geared towards the autumn seems sensible and, if she is able to return to ParisLongchamp this October for the main event, perhaps her trainer will be able to accompany her this time around. For the French-bred trainer to take his French-bred star back home, there is not just the pandemic to worry about this year, but also the extra complications posed by Britain no longer being a member of the EU.

He says, “The main plan will be the Arc de Triomphe. Then it's a case of planning towards the Arc. Technically I don't know how just yet because the consequences of Brexit are a bit of a problem. At the moment it's just getting my head around the situation. I will give it another four to six weeks and see how things go. Obviously she is one who ideally would go back to France to run, perhaps in a race like the Prix de Pomone in Deauville in August. She goes on any ground but she's better on softer ground and that's also a part of the equation. But I have a fair few others I want to campaign in France this year so it's a matter of seeing how things go in the next month and then trying to make it happen as smoothly as possible.”

Despite the better prize-money on offer in France and increased travel restrictions post-Brexit, Menuisier insists he has no intention of leaving Britain to train in his home country, where he was formerly an assistant to Criquette Head.

“I'm happy where I am and I will do my utmost to stay here and keep on having a flourishing business, ” he says. “As long as circumstances allow, this will always be my main aim. I would only contemplate going elsewhere if at any point I was feeling that my business or my life was affected by it. I'm very happy here. My partner Kim and I have a daughter and we love Sussex. There's no reason for me to go to France.”

There are indeed plenty of reasons to keep Menuisier at his Pulborough stable as, alongside Wonderful Tonight, he has a number of horses that he is itching to get back to the racecourse this spring.

He says, “Last year was weird but exceptional for us really. We had our first treble at Sandown, a double at Salisbury with 2-year-olds winning for the first time. There have been a lot of firsts: I've had my first winner at Wolverhampton as well!”

Menuisier continues, “When people ask me what was the highlight, of course 'Wonderful' comes first but there were a lot of other horses that made me proud. Bellocio (Fr) (Belardo {Ire} is a horse we've always liked. He won at Salisbury and then I was meant to run him in the Group 1 at Saint-Cloud but he had a problem with the transport so he was unable to take part. Then we sent him to Toulouse three weeks later and he won the listed race really convincingly. So fingers crossed he could be a flag-bearer this year.”

Among the new recruits to the stable is Xaario (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}), who was runner-up to subsequent G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner Sealiway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) on debut last May before winning and then having to have a break with a small injury.

“I hope to target the Stewards' Cup with Atalanta's Boy (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}) this year,” Menuisier adds. “We had bad luck with him last year when it mattered because he missed the break. He missed it in the Stewards' Cup and also in the Ayr Silver Cup, so it was quite unfortunate but I know he has the ability to run really well in those races.  Nuits St Georges (Fr) (Mount Nelson {GB}) ran well in the November Handicap and I would expect him to have a decent year, as well as 3-year-old Rewired (GB) (Power {GB}), who got beaten a head by a horse of Godolphin's at Newmarket last year. He's another exciting horse to follow and I'd like to believe we have a strongish team with about 35 2-year-olds.”

The trainer is also keen to return to Australia following a successful visit in 2019 when Chief Ironside (GB) (Lawman {Fr}) won the G2 Schweppes Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley. It was Danceteria (Fr) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}), for the same owners, Australian Bloodstock, who became Menuisier's first ever Group 1 winner in Germany that same year, but Wonderful Tonight's first strike at the top level in Paris was understandably extra special for the Frenchman.

“It was a shame I couldn't attend because of the [Covid] restrictions and I needed to be at Tattersalls two days later. It was a little bit frustrating, but to watch on TV from here was just unbelievable. Speaking to Chris afterwards, he was crying on the phone, and when you deal with someone who's had horses for four decades and you see what it means to them, it was really moving,” he says.

“Most Group 1s in the season end up going to very few stables and I think it's good for racing when it happens to a smaller set-up. It was fantastic to see Archie Watson winning at the Champions Day meeting, and by the same token it was fantastic to see Roger Teal doing well last season. It's David against Goliath most of the time in this business and sometimes it's good when David wins.”

 

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