Rouget Pleased With Ace Impact Ahead Of The Arc, As Field Takes Shape

The undefeated G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe favourite Ace Impact (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}) is pleasing trainer Jean-Claude Rouget ahead of the big day on Sunday. He is one of 16 on the radar for the ParisLongchamp showpiece after Sprewell (Ire) (Churchill {Ire})'s defection at the latest forfeit stage on Tuesday.

A colourbearer for Gousserie Racing and Ecuries Serge Stempniak, the five-for-five G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero ran out a three-quarter length winner of the G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano when last seen in August.

“Why shouldn't I be optimistic? I'm coming in with a horse that's unbeaten,” said Rouget, who is seeking his second Arc after the success of Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) in 2020.

“We know in any race anything can happen and we're coming to the end of the season, but he gets three kilos from the older horses, which is important. I'm optimistic in the sense that he goes into the race unbeaten and has done everything we have asked him to so far.

“It's been six weeks [since Deauville] and the six weeks have passed very quickly.”

The 2400-metre Arc will be the colt's first try over that trip and at that racecourse. In the lead up to Sunday's card, the weather also appears to be playing fair which is good news for several contenders.

“Obviously we can't be certain, but with the way he finishes his races and also the fact his sire was a winner over the distance gives us hope that he can stay,” he continued. “If the Prix du Jockey Club [French Derby] had been over a mile and a half, as it was in the past, he would have won that.

“Last year Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}) was in the same place for us and he ran really well [finished second to Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB})]. I'm not worried about the course, he's an easy horse once he's settled in his race and there are plenty of horses that have won the Arc that also hadn't run at Longchamp before.

“I think it is going to be good for everyone, which is an interesting point about this year's race. In the past the race was often criticised for its heavy ground and the fact horses are tired, but this year I think the ground is going to suit everyone.”

 

Ground Key For Feed The Flame And Fantastic Moon

G1 Grand Prix de Paris winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Feed The Flame (GB) (Kingman {GB})'s camp is hoping for a bit of ease in the ground. Pascal Bary is seeking his first Arc, and is also confident in his Jean-Louis Bouchard-owned colt, who was second to Fantastic Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) in the G2 Prix Niel earlier this month.

“He's a very good horse, he has a very good temperament and he gets the mile and a half really, really well,” said Bary. “I think on the day of the Arc, the ground will be slightly different and he will be more comfortable on that ground.

“Anything a bit softer than the ground he encountered in the Jockey Club, Grand Prix de Paris and Prix Niel would be appreciated.”

The connections of G1 Deutsches Derby hero and Prix Niel scorer Fantastic Moon were pleased with their colt's Tuesday work at Munich and have not ruled out the Arc at this stage. Raced by the Liberty Racing Syndicate, Fantastic Moon would need to be supplemented.

“Fantastic Moon's work in Munich was very good,” said Liberty Racing Syndicate's Lars-Wilhelm Baumgarten on X on Tuesday morning. “The trainer will have a discussion with the owners about the possibilities with an eye on ground conditions. The Arc is in any case again a real option, if the sun continues.”

Another expected supplement is the Coolmore partners' Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), who won the G1 St Leger for Aidan O'Brien in mid-September.

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Grand Prix De Paris Glory For Kingman’s TDN Rising Star Feed The Flame

Putting the “wow factor” into Friday night's G1 Grand Prix de Paris at ParisLongchamp, Ecurie Jean-Louis Bouchard's TDN Rising Star Feed The Flame (GB) (Kingman {GB}–Knyazhna {Ire}, by Montjeu {Ire}) swooped on unsuspecting victims to provide further proof of the outstanding merit of the G1 Prix du Jockey Club form. Only fourth behind Ace Impact (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}) in that 10 1/2-furlong Chantilly Classic, the Pascal Bary trainee who had dazzled on his first two starts looked an unlikely winner throughout the early stages with Cristian Demuro detached in last.

It was not until the turn into the straight that the eventual winner truly engaged and while he had all rivals still to pass there, he was in their range and ready to fire his bullets. Ryan Moore committed first on the Irish Derby runner-up Adelaide River (Ire) (Australia {GB}) with the 8-5 favourite Soul Sister (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) chasing hard, but it was Feed The Flame who was finishing with the biggest rattle on the outside. Looking as if he had jumped in 100 metres from the finish, the 13-5 second favourite was in domineering mood as he registered a length verdict over Adelaide River, with the Oaks heroine Soul Sister a neck away in third.

“He's a great horse,” Bary said. “The Prix du Jockey Club came a little soon for him and 2400 metres is his true distance. He broke slow, but he needs time to warm up and he has terrific acceleration. I won this race for Juddmonte with Zambezi Sun and both horses had exactly the same career up to this, winning the same first two races and then finishing fourth in the Jockey Club, so history can repeat itself sometimes. We will give him a break now and wait for September and the [G2] Prix Niel and then the Arc.”

 

So demonstrative when successful by 5 1/2 lengths over 10 1/2 furlongs on the opening card of ParisLongchamp's 2023 season, Feed The Flame beat the subsequent G3 Prix Hocquart winner First Minister (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and fellow TDN Rising Star Silver Crack (Fr) (Cracksman {GB}) next time over another 55 yards in this venue's Prix de Ferrieres conditions race prior to his first genuine test in the Jockey Club. This was probably an upgrade on that effort after a subsequent freshener, but it is hard to get away from how strong that race looks this year, with Ace Impact recording stunning sectionals to deny the top-class Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) and the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero Marhaba Ya Sanafi (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}).

Jean-Louis Bouchard said, “Christophe Soumillon said after his second outing that he was probably more of a 2400-metre colt rather than a Prix du Jockey Club colt and so an Arc type. We've been working together with Pascal Bary for a long time. With my trainers, it's very much a team effort and I'm also thinking of Stephane Wattel because it's thanks to him that if I own Feed the Flame as he trained the colt's brother Sacred Life for me who should have won his race.”

Soul Sister appeared to have no excuses in third and Kieran Shoemark said, “We didn't go particularly quick, which suited us because she's got a strong turn of foot and I tried to utilise that into the straight. She picked up well for me, but I struggled to peg back Ryan [Moore] and I think we've been beaten by a very good colt.”

Thady Gosden echoed that sentiment. “The winner looks an exceptional colt. He quickened by the whole field from arguably the worst position in the race like a proper horse,” he said. “He looked smart coming into this and was supplemented like our filly, he's probably one of the best mile-and-a-half horses around at the moment. She's run a very good race in defeat to him. There are options back with the fillies now, we'll see how she comes out of it and probably do that.”

Pedigree Notes

Feed The Flame is the sixth of seven foals and fourth winner out of the unraced Knyazhna, a half-sister to the dual group 2-placed sire Migwar (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) who produced the aforementioned Sacred Life (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) whose career successes included the GIII Monmouth S., GIII Knickerbocker S. and G3 Prix Thomas Bryon. Also responsible for the G2 Prix Hocquart third Khagan (Ire) (Le Havre {Ire}), she is a granddaughter of the Listed Rose Bowl S. winner Crystal Crossing (Ire) (Royal Academy) who produced the G1 St Leger-winning sire and Derby runner-up Rule Of Law (Kingmambo), the GII Churchill Distaff Turf Mile runner-up Dame Marie (Smart Strike) and the listed-placed dam of the G3 Chartwell Fillies S. winner Tomyris (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). Her unraced 2-year-old colt Gulf Legend (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) was a €300,000 private purchase at the Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale.

Friday, ParisLongchamp, France
GRAND PRIX DE PARIS-G1, €600,000, ParisLongchamp, 7-14, 3yo, c/f, 12fT, 2:26.71, g/s.
1–FEED THE FLAME (GB), 129, c, 3, by Kingman (GB)
     1st Dam: Knyazhna (Ire), by Montjeu (Ire)
     2nd Dam: Katyusha, by Kingmambo
     3rd Dam: Crystal Crossing (Ire), by Royal Academy
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST G1 WIN. TDN Rising Star. (€270,000 Ylg '21 ARQAUG). O-Ecurie Jean-Louis Bouchard; B-Ecurie des Monceaux, Lordship Stud & Clear Light SAS (GB); T-Pascal Bary; J-Cristian Demuro. €342,840. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0, €113,150. *1/2 to Sacred Life (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), MGSW-US & GSW-Fr, $920,768; and Khagan (Ire) (Le Havre {Ire}), MGSP-Fr. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Adelaide River (Ire), 129, c, 3, Australia (GB)–Could It Be Love, by War Front. O-Mrs J Magnier/M Tabor/D Smith/Westerberg; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €137,160.
3–Soul Sister (Ire), 126, f, 3, Frankel (GB)–Dream Peace (Ire), by Dansili (GB). O/B-Lady Bamford (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden. €68,580.
Margins: 1, NK, 3HF. Odds: 2.60, 4.20, 1.60.
Also Ran: First Minister (Ire), Winter Pudding (Fr), Rubis Vendome (GB), Peking Opera (Ire), Silawi (Ire). Video, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Oaks Winner Soul Sister Supplemented To Grand Prix De Paris

Lady Bamford's homebred 2023 G1 Oaks heroine Soul Sister (Ire) (Frankel (GB)}) has been supplemented for €15,000 to Friday's G1 Grand Prix de Paris at ParisLongchamp. The John and Thady Gosden trainee will be ridden by Kieran Shoemark, who fills in for the suspended Frankie Dettori.

It will be Shoemark's first ride aboard the Classic-winning filly, who has won three of her four starts. A winner at Doncaster at two, Soul Sister was unplaced in the G3 Fred Darling S. in her sophomore bow but recovered to take the G3 Musidora S. at York prior to her Epsom heroics.

Thady Gosden said, “Obviously it is the last mile-and-a-half 3-year-old race in Europe and unlike the Irish Oaks, it gives you time to come back for the [G1] Nassau at Goodwood [on Aug. 3].

“The Irish Oaks is a little too close to Goodwood if you wanted to take in both races, and we are looking forward to running her at Longchamp.

“Kieran partnered her on the Rowley Mile last week and was happy with her and she has done some routine work subsequently.”

At the latest entry stage, she will be opposed by the G1 Irish Derby second and fourth Adelaide River (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and Peking Opera (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) from the Aidan O'Brien yard, as well as Andre Fabre's First Minister (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) among others.

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Spotlight on the Night of the Stars: Onshore

With a star-studded lineup preparing to go through the ring on a night showcasing some of racing's most prestigious broodmares and broodmare prospects, Fasig-Tipton's Boyd Browning has high praise for Onshore (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire) — Kalima {GB}, by Kahyasi {Ire}), a royally-bred Group I producer who will sell as Hip 216 at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale.

“I believe Onshore is one of the most exciting broodmare offerings that we've had the privilege of selling in my lifetime at Fasig-Tipton,” Browning said. “She embodies everything you look for in the Thoroughbred industry. She has an amazing Juddmonte family. She's in foal to Wootton Bassett, who is a very influential rising star in the European stallion ranks. She has produced a Grade I winner in Onesto (Ire) (Frankel), who has demonstrated tremendous ability on the racetrack. I can't imagine any mare having a brighter future with the resume she has put together thus far.”

The Sea The Stars mare now has five foals on her produce record led by her brilliant son Onesto, the winner of this year's G1 Grand Prix de Paris. At the 'Night of the Stars' sale, Onshore will be consigned by Gainesway.

“It's a privilege to be able to offer a mare like Onshore,” said Gainesway's Alex Solis. “To be just nine years old and the dam of a French Classic winner with your second foal, that's pretty remarkable. She could be the cornerstone of any broodmare band wherever she goes.”

Onshore was one of the first remunerative Thoroughbred purchases for Adam Bowden's Diamond Creek Farm (profiled by Chris McGrath here). Diamond Creek launched as a Standardbred operation in 2005, when Bowden was just 24, and then made its foray into the Thoroughbred business several years ago. During one of Bowden's first buying trips overseas, he found Onshore at the 2016 Tattersalls December Mares Sale.

“She fit the bill for what we were looking for,” he recalled. “She had a well-bred pedigree and physically, she fit the European style of racing. She was in foal to Frankel, who was young at the time but I was a huge fan of his.”

Bowden purchased the maiden mare from Juddmonte for 320,000gns. Diamond Creek liked her resulting filly so much that the next year, Onshore returned to Frankel. That mating producing Onesto.

“I actually never got to see him as a foal because it was during the COVID year,” Bowden explained. “My advisor there, Eddie Fitzpatrick at Coolmore, told me that he was a nice horse and that I shouldn't give him away.”

When the colt failed to meet his reserve as a yearling, he shipped to Ciaran Dunne of Wavertree Stables and sold for $535,000 to Hubert Guy at the 2021 OBS April Sale before making his way back to Europe. Onesto landed with trainer Fabrice Chappet and earned the 'TDN Rising Star' nod when he broke his maiden on debut as a juvenile. This year, he took the G2 Prix Greffulhe before claiming his Group 1 score in the Grand Prix de Paris while also placing second in the G1 Irish Champion S.

 

“Anyone who has watched Onesto run has to be impressed by his turn of foot,” Browning noted. “He's explosive when he makes his move. He demonstrates the brilliance that is so critical to racing around the world, but especially in Europe.”

Onshore's produce record also includes an unraced juvenile filly by Australia (GB), a yearling Gleanagles (Ire) filly that sold for €460,000 to Michel Zerolo of Oceanic Bloodstock at Arqana this summer, as well as a another filly by American Pharaoh.

“To have four daughters working for her going forward is pretty awesome, but really the big appeal to her is that it's such an international family,” said Solis. “She comes from an amazing Juddmonte family anchored by Hasili (Ire) (Kahyasi), who threw five Group 1 winners herself and two other graded stakes horses including the very influential stallion Dansili (GB). Onshore is even a half to an international Group 3 winner Jet Away (GB) (Cape Cross), who went to Australia and proved himself there.”

“It's literally the who's who of the Thoroughbred breeding industry all combined into one package,” added Browning of Onshore's pedigree. “She's also in foal to Wootton Bassett, who produced a champion in his first crop. More importantly, he's a sire that Coolmore has made a significant commitment to. So you've got the Juddmonte pedigree with the Coolmore influence in the covering sire, and if that's not a good bet in the Thoroughbred industry, I can't think of a better set of circumstances.”

Bowden is looking forward to seizing the moment with Onshore while Onesto is in the limelight, but he said that the mare has forever made her mark on Diamond Creek's story.

Sara Gordon

“I think we're in the business to make money,” he explained when asked why Onshore is for sale. “The money we make from Onshore will be put right back in the market to try to do it again. She's really the first big-time horse for us to sell back to the market so there's a soft spot in my heart for her and part of me doesn't want to sell her, but the other part of me knows that it's the right financial decision and one that could provide us with more and more capital to go back to the market.”

This year has been a fruitful era for Diamond Creek with the likes of Bashford Manor S. winner and GI Hopeful S. runner-up Gulfport (Uncle Mo) and three-time Grade I-placed Family Way (Uncle Mo) both representing their breeder at the highest levels of the sport in the U.S. while Onesto carries the banner abroad.

“I don't know that we were originally planning on having Group 1 winners,” Bowden admitted. “I think we were looking for sales and racing success, and whatever grew out of that would be great. To have this kind of success this quickly was obviously not what we had planned, but we're very happy with it.”

As for Onshore, Browning said he believes the mare could wind up starting the next chapter of her story anywhere in the world.

“I think Onshore truly has international appeal,” he said. “She's a collector's pedigree. I don't know if the new buyer will reside in Europe or Japan or America, but I do know that the new buyer will have an opportunity to have a tremendously accomplished mare with a tremendous amount of potential in front of her.”

“This mare could go anywhere and be a standout,” added Solis. “It will be exciting to see who shows up.”

To take a look at more 'Spotlight on the Night of the Stars' features, click here.

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