G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club | Horse Racing Free Tips

Cracksman’s Ace Impact Sweeps Aside Big Rock For Jockey Club Glory

Ecuries Serge Stempniak's hitherto undefeated Ace Impact (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}–Absolutly Me {F}, by Anabaa Blue {GB}) posted a third straight win when annexing last month's Listed Prix de Suresnes at Chantilly and returned to that Paris venue for Classic glory in Sunday's €1,500,000 G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club.

Preceding his black-type breakthrough with impressive early-season wins at Cagnes-sur-Mer and Bordeaux-Le Bouscat, the 19-2 chance extended trainer Jean-Claude Rouget's record to six wins in the contest after defeating 17-10 favourite Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) by an impressive 3 1/2 lengths. The trainer has now won five of the last eight renewals while jockey Cristian Demuro, also victorious aboard Rouget's Brametot and Sottsass, improved his tally to three. The winning time of 2:02.63 was a new standard for the race, going under Sottsass's previous best by 0.27 seconds.

Ace Impact employed patient tactics from flagfall and settled several lengths off Big Rock's tempo in 10th with 'TDN Rising Star' Padishakh (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) the only rival in arrears. Making smooth headway on the bridle in the straight, he was stirred into action passing the quarter-mile marker and powered off into the distance once swooping to deprive Big Rock of control with 100 metres remaining. Christopher Head's long-time leader was safely clear of the remainder, with G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero Marhaba Ya Sanafi (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) running on well from off the pace to finish 2 1/2 lengths further adrift in third. Rising Stars filled three of the next four spots with the supplemented Feed The Flame (GB) (Kingman {GB}) fourth, Epictetus (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) fifth and Padishakh seventh.

“We've always liked him, I call him 'Monsieur Sans Souci' and he really is without a care in the world,” said Rouget. “I've never had any problems with him, apart from the fact that he managed to sport a winter coat in the middle of summer. We gave him all the time he needed as I saw something in him when he made his debut at Cagnes-sur-Mer this year. He sprouted wings in the straight that day, just like he did today. He's a very good colt and we thought he was good, but he needed to prove it. I think having three races under your belt prior to running in the Jockey Club is a good thing, but just two races is cutting it a bit fine. When Sottsass ran I didn't believe he was up to it, because of the ground, and yet he blew us away. Just like Ace Impact did today. Sottsass was exceptional, capable of winning on any ground, and Ace Impact has proved that he's very good. I'm very happy to see the colours of a French owner win the race.”

Looking ahead, but without committing to immediate targets, the trainer added, “He's entered in the [G1] Eclipse [at Sandown], but we'll mull matters over first. He has the profile for the [G1] Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe as he has both the physique and the stride pattern. I'd prefer him to run on good ground, like all good horses, but he should be able to emulate Sottsass and be capable of winning on both fast and heavy ground. There are races for him before the Arc and his future programme has not yet been established. Obviously, we are tempted [by the Arc].” Rouget also indicated his other runners Padishakh (7th) and Rajapour (10th) ran too freely and shall revert to shorter trips in the future.

The Also Rans
Connections of the vanquished paid homage to the spectaular nature of Ace Impact's demonstration and were in largely positive mood in the aftermath. Big Rock's trainer Christopher Head was first out of the blocks and admitted, “Big Rock caught a tartar today, but he ran his race and his performance was really very good. Ace Impact looks to be a lot better than Big Rock and the winner did something exceptional. With the pace we set during the race, the bar was set pretty high and I'm very happy with Big Rock's effort.”

Andreas Schutz was a degree lower on the satisfaction gauge and reflected, “I was very happy with his physical condition going into the race, but unfortunately the race didn't go as we'd planned. We thought he'd be closer to the pace. He was a little intimidated when racing amongst horses in the peloton and, when the gaps came his way, he really picked up. He's already won the race [Poule d'Essai des Poulains] we were aiming at, so this is a bonus.”

Pascal Bary feels 'TDN Rising Star' Feed The Flame is not yet the finished article and needs more time to develop. “Ace Impact was impressive, but Feed The Flame lacked a bit of maturity and race experience and he's a colt who still needs to learn,” the trainer said. “When he made his move in the straight, he quickened really well. But, when Christophe Soumillon asked him for extra, he perhaps showed us that the track was a bit too fast for him. I also think that the first and second are better than him. He'll be better on a slightly softer track and will continue to learn his trade. We'll see how he comes out of the race, but the [July 14 G1] Grand Prix de Paris is a possibility.”

Almost never satisfied in defeat, John Gosden had a positive outlook when dissecting the performance of fellow Rising Star Epitectus. “He had a good run and picked up well,” he said. “He had third place in his sights for a long time and only gave in at the very end. It was a good performance.”

Pedigree Notes
Ace Impact becomes the first Group 1 winner for his second-crop sire (by Frankel {GB}) and is the leading performer out of the Listed Berenberg Cup runner-up Absolutly Me (Fr) (Anabaa Blue {GB}). Absolutly Me has also produced Listed Grand Prix de la Riviera Cote d'Azur runner-up Alessandro (Fr) (Australia {GB}), Listed La Coupe de Marseille third Apollo Flight (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) and the unraced 2-year-old cold Arrow Eagle (Fr) (Gleneagles {Ire}). Absolutly Me is the leading performer out of a half-sister to the stakes-winning GII Santa Barbara H. runner-up Mabadi (Sahm), herself the dam of the dual Group 3-placed Listed Prix Omnium II and Listed Criterium de l'Ouest victor Salai (Fr) (Myboycharlie {Ire}). Ace Impact's third dam Barakat (GB) (Bustino {GB}), who is from the family of MG1SW distaffer Red Bloom (GB) (Selkirk), is kin to MG1SW G1 Irish St Leger hero Ibn Bey (GB) (Mill Reef) and G1 Yorkshire Oaks heroine Roseate Tern (GB) (Blakeney {GB}).

Sunday, Chantilly, France
QATAR PRIX DU JOCKEY CLUB-G1, €1,500,000, Chantilly, 6-4, 3yo, c/f, 10 1/2fT, 2:02.63 (NSR), gd.
1–ACE IMPACT (IRE), 128, c, 3, by Cracksman (GB)
1st Dam: Absolutly Me (Fr) (SP-Fr & Ger), by Anabaa Blue (Ire)
2nd Dam: Tadawul, by Diesis (GB)
3rd Dam: Barakat (GB), by Bustino (GB)
1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (€75,000 Ylg '21 ARQAUG). O-Ecuries Serge Stempniak; B-Mme Waltraut Spanner (IRE); T-Jean-Claude Rouget; J-Cristian Demuro. €857,100. Lifetime Record: 4-4-0-0, €911,100. *1/2 to Apollo Flight (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}), MSP-Fr, $139,492; and Alessandro (Fr) (Australia {GB}), SP-Fr, $111,837. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Big Rock (Fr), 128, c, 3, Rock Of Gibraltar (Ire)–Hardiyna (Ire), by Sea The Stars (Ire). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O/B-Yeguada Centurion SLU (FR); T-Christopher Head. €342,900.
3–Marhaba Ya Sanafi (Ire), 128, c, 3, Muhaarar (GB)–Danega (GB), by Galileo (Ire). O-Jaber Abdullah; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Andreas Schutz. €171,450.
Margins: 3HF, 2HF, 3/4. Odds: 9.50, 1.70, 9.00.
Also Ran: Feed The Flame (GB), Epictetus (Ire), Flight Leader (GB), Padishakh (Fr), Continuous (Jpn), American Flag (Fr), Rajapour (Ire), Winter Pudding (Fr). Video, sponsored by TVG.

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Auguste Rodin Heads Betfred Derby 14, Marhaba Ya Sanafi One Of Prix du Jockey Club 11

Following a draw conducted live in Epsom's hallowed circle, a final field of 14 has been confirmed for Saturday's G1 Betfred Derby. Ballydoyle number one Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) has pulled “lucky” stall 10, still the most beneficial draw in Derby history having housed Shahrastani, Reference Point (GB), Nashwan, Quest For Fame (GB), Generous (Ire), Galileo (Ire), Sir Percy (GB), Ruler of the World (Ire) and Masar (Ire). Chief market rival Military Order (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) will exit from next door in nine, while leading contenders Passenger (Ulysses {Ire}) and White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) have drawn boxes seven and two respectively.

Meanwhile, in France, a final field of 11 has been declared for Sunday's €1,500,000 G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly. The cast is headed by Jaber Abdullah's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero Marhaba Ya Sanafi (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}), who has drawn post four. TDN Rising Star and supplementary entry Feed The Flame (GB) (Kingman {GB}) has been allocated stall six. There was good news for connections of likely favourite Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}), with Yeguada Centurion's homebred sensation drawn in two.

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Qatar Prix du Jockey Club Equestrian Parade Set For June 3

The Qatar Prix du Jockey Club Equestrian Parade, featuring riders and horses from the AFASEC (jockey apprentice school), will pass through the streets of Chantilly from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 3.

They will bear the colours of the €1.5-million G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club field, which will take place on Sunday, June 4. The 10-race card will also feature family racecourse events. For more information on the Prix du Jockey Club festivities, please visit the France Galop website.

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Churchill’s Vadeni Swoops In The Jockey Club

One hundred years on from the late Aga Khan III's initial foray into European racing, the internationally-renowned and respected operation were celebrating a momentous Classic victory as the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}–Vaderana {Fr}, by Monsun {Ger}) dominated Chantilly's G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club. Always travelling easily in the slipstream of the leaders from his favourable inside draw, the May 10 G3 Prix de Guiche winner pounced on the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) with 300 metres remaining and a furlong later Christophe Soumillon was already saluting the crowd with the race in safe keeping. At the line, there was a five-length margin back to El Bodegon (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), the only runner with a lower stall than the winner in one, with the wide-drawn Modern Games an honourable third a short neck behind. The Aga Khan IV now has eight Prix du Jockey Club successes, with this being only the second since the distance was shortened in 2005.

“I am delighted to win for His Highness, as it has been a few years since we made it at the highest level and these prestigious races are so important for his breeding operation,” Soumillon said after steering his fourth winner of the 10 1/2-furlong Classic. “I feel sorry that he and Princess Zahra could not make it to the races today and my first thoughts were for them–I owe them so much and they have been so important in my career. The key to the race this year was to have a good draw and we had the perfect trip. My horse was travelling so easily and when I asked him he was impressive. His preparation had been perfectly planned by Jean-Claude Rouget and today he was at the top of his game.”

Introduced over seven furlongs at La Teste de Buch in July, Vadeni dealt with the eventual Listed Prix Montenica winner Loubeisien (Fr) before heading to Deauville in August to capture the Listed Criterium du Fonds Europeen de l'Elevage over a mile in which the subsequent group 1 performer Times Square (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) was third. Only third when over-racing as the 2-5 favourite behind El Bodegon in the nine-furlong G3 Prix de Conde on his final juvenile start, the bay returned with a staying-on fifth in the G3 Prix de Fontainebleau at a mile at ParisLongchamp Apr. 17 before it all slotted into place in the Prix de Guiche back here last time.

After the earlier G3 Prix de Royaumont win of the Stud's Baiykara (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), there was a feeling in the air that this meeting would form some sort of crowning moment for the breeding operation which has its roots in Aga Khan III's 1922 Queen Mary S. success. Even the draw had been kind, twice, with Vadeni faring well the first time the balls were pulled out of the bowl and better at the second attempt. As is often the case in this race, it became a race of the haves and the have-nots in that respect with Soumillon able to cruise and draft with minimal effort and William Buick's hand forced by stall 13. He had to use up fuel on Modern Games to get the 21-10 favourite into the front line, but he made the right call as after the opening two furlongs, the eventual first, second and third were occupying three of the front five positions. TDN Rising Stars Onesto (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and Lassaut (Fr) (Almanzor {Ire}) and the similarly well-fancied Al Hakeem (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) were far adrift as the trailing trio at that stage and the die was already cast for them.

Soon into the straight it was clear that those in the rearguard had little chance of getting to the leaders and one glance at the emerald green was enough to predict the outcome. Hard as Modern Games tried, he was losing steam on the rain-softened ground and while his compatriot El Bodegon was wearing him down, by the time they had grafted to a furlong and a half out the race had already slipped out of their grip. It is rare that a jockey is able to begin celebrations so far from the line and only time will tell how Vadeni ranks alongside Desert Crown (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), but the fact is that France has a new star and that can only be a good thing where the diversity of the racing game is concerned.

For Rouget, the performance was a clear peak of his grand total of five.”He is the easiest of my Jockey Club winners–he's very good,” he said. I will probably give him a break now and I'll speak to the owner and see what he wants to do. If he wants to go for the Arc, I would suggest running him in the Irish Champion Stakes first and if not, he could still come back in the Irish Champion and head to the Champion Stakes at Ascot as Almanzor did.”

Charlie Appleby is looking to the States now for Modern Games. “I think in the end he didn't quite see out the trip,” he said. “The winner was quite impressive and you could spot him from a long way out. I think on faster ground Modern Games can stay nine or ten and the Belmont Derby or Saratoga Derby are options for him now in America.” James Ferguson said of El Bodegon, “It's so great to see him back on track and I've never been so happy to be second–the winner is a fantastic horse and all credit to him. My horse has beaten everyone else. He wears his heart on his sleeve and tried all the way to the line.”

Vadeni is from the first crop of Churchill {Ire}) and becomes his first Classic and group 1 winner, while he was also giving Monsun his 16th success at this level as a damsire. The dam Vaderana, whose previous five foals include the multiple listed-placed Vadsena (Fr) (Makfi {GB}) and the Australian listed-placed Vadiyann (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), is a daughter of the G1 Prix Saint-Alary heroine Vadawina (Ire) (Unfuwain) who produced five black-type performers headed by the G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris scorer Vadamar (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}) and the G3 Tyros S. winner and G1 Racing Post Trophy third The Pentagon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

Vadawina is kin to the fellow Saint-Alary heroine Vazira (Fr) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) and the stakes-producing, dual group 3 winner Vadapolina (Fr) (Trempolino), while their dam Vadaza (Fr) (Zafonic) is in turn a half-sister to the G1 Queen Anne S. and G1 Prix d'Ispahan hero Valixir (Ire) (Trempolino) and the listed-winning Celebre Vadala (Fr) (Peintre Celebre) who threw the G1 Prix du Moulin-winning sire Vadamos (Fr) from a mating with Monsun. Also connected to the GI Breeders' Cup Mile hero Val Royal (Fr) (Royal Academy), Vaderana has the unraced 2-year-old colt by Camelot (GB) named Vazirpour (GB).

Sunday, Chantilly, France
QATAR PRIX DU JOCKEY CLUB-G1, €1,500,000, Chantilly, 6-5, 3yo, c/f, 10 1/2fT, 2:06.65, sf.
1–VADENI (FR), 128, c, 3, by Churchill (Ire)
1st Dam: Vaderana (Fr), by Monsun (Ger)
2nd Dam: Vadawina (Ire), by Unfuwain
3rd Dam: Vadaza (Fr), by Zafonic
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-H H The Aga Khan; B-H H The Aga Khan's Studs SC (FR); T-Jean-Claude Rouget; J-Christophe Soumillon. €857,100. Lifetime Record: 6-4-0-1, €987,100. *1/2 to Vadsena (Fr) (Makfi {GB}), MSP-Fr; and Vadiyann (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), SP-Aus, $140,637. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–El Bodegon (Ire), 128, c, 3, Kodiac (GB)–Al Andalyya, by Kingmambo. (70,000gns Ylg '20 TAOCT). O-Nas Syndicate & A F O'Callaghan; B-Cecil & Martin McCracken (IRE); T-James Ferguson. €342,900.
3–Modern Games (Ire), 128, c, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Modern Ideals (GB), by New Approach (Ire). O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. €171,450.
Margins: 5, SNK, 1 1/4. Odds: 6.80, 14.00, 2.10.
Also Ran: Al Hakeem (GB), *Onesto (Ire), *Vagalame (Ire), Machete (Fr), Lassaut (Fr), Ancient Rome, Welwal (GB), Mister Saint Paul (Fr), Ivy League (Ire), Imperial Fighter (Ire), The Acropolis (Ire), Yoozuna (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.
*Dead-heated for fifth.

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