Blue Point’s Rosallion Brilliant In The Lagardere

   Beautiful sunshine bathed ParisLongchamp on its biggest day and Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere proved a fitting opener to the action with Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}–Rosaline {Ire}, by New Approach {Ire}) dominating the closing stages of this up-to-scratch renewal. Brilliant in Ascot's Listed Pat Eddery S. in July but disappointing when third in the G2 Champagne S. at Doncaster last month, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's homebred was truly on song here to provide Sean Levey with all the good vibrations in this qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

Anchored in rear early from his compromising wide draw, the Richard Hannon-trained relative of some of the owner-breeder's best recent performers was finally unleashed 300 metres from the finish as Ryan Moore sent Ballydoyle's TDN Rising Star Unquestionable (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) for home. Accelerating impressively as he had done at Ascot to swamp that rival inside the last half furlong, the generously-priced 6-1 shot had a length to spare at the line as the too-keen previously-unbeaten TDN Rising Star and even-money favourite Beauvatier (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) wound up 1 1/2 lengths behind in third.

“He felt exceptional today,” Levey said of the live 2000 Guineas contender who was providing his first-crop sire sensation with his first Group 1 winner and setting a new track record into the bargain. “At Doncaster, when I asked him he didn't know what to do on that soft ground and he's still so babyish. He has a great mind though and he'll keep learning. He had to overcome a lot today from that draw and was a bit confused when I restrained him, especially in the false straight. I was always going to win today. He had his ground and that's how good he is.”

Rosallion, who had struck on debut over 6 1/2 furlongs at Newbury just before Royal Ascot, had set almost the benchmark in terms of British-trained juveniles in the Pat Eddery, where the likes of Al Musmak (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Alyanaabi (Ire) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) and Dancing Gemini (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) had trailed in his wake. Hannon had kept the faith after the Champagne and was relieved with this justification, completed in course-record time ahead of the previous 1:18.40 set by this race's winner Naaqoos (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) in 2008.

“It was very sticky ground at Doncaster and he hated it, but I was so disappointed–I couldn't believe he got beat. We scoped him afterwards and everything was fine and the only thing I can put it down to was the ground. Sean was as gutted as I was at Doncaster–I don't think he said a word to me after he got beat in the Champagne S. He couldn't believe it either, that's the sort of horse he is. Today was a recovery mission and you don't generally come to the Lagardere on a recovery mission, as it takes an extremely good horse to win it but he showed today that he's the horse we thought he was.”

“We'll look forward to the Guineas now for next year,” Hannon added. “I wouldn't rule out the Breeders' Cup, but I'm very happy to look forward to the Guineas. I haven't had much luck at the Breeders' Cup, obviously it's got to change at some stage but I think it's unlikely.”

Aidan O'Brien said of Unquestionable and the pace-setting Henry Adams (Ire) (No Nay Never), who finished fourth, “The trip was okay and both will be fine at a mile. Ryan said Unquestionable could be a horse for America, so we will look at the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf after seeing how they are. Unquestionable is definitely a Guineas horse, we will see which one next year.”

Yann Barberot said of Beauvatier, who recorded the race's fastest individual split between the two and the one at :10.56 but who was too free throughout the early stages, “We have been helped by the quick ground, but you need a colt with a lot of speed to win the Lagardere and he is not made for speed. In future, he will run over 1600 metres or even 2000 metres. I am very happy with him, he performed well. He found himself a bit behind at the start of the race, because he was impeded by the Andre Fabre-trained horse who pulled a lot.”

 

Pedigree Notes

Rosallion's unraced dam Rosaline is one of the progeny of the owner-breeder's sensational producer Reem Three (GB) (Mark Of Esteem {Ire}), whose seven black-type performers include this year's G1 Queen Anne S. hero Triple Time (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and the G1 Prix Jean Romanet winner Ajman Princess (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}). Rosaline is a full-sister to the G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein victor Ostilio (GB), while other Reem Three notables are the G3 Bengough S. winner Cape Byron (GB) by Blue Point's sire Shamardal and this year's Listed Heron S. winner Captain Winters (GB) whose sire Lope De Vega is also by Shamardal. The third dam is Jumaireyah (GB) (Fairy King), herself responsible for the G2 Celebration Mile and G3 Sovereign S. winner and GI Arlington Million runner-up Afsare (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Next up from Rosaline is a yearling colt by Make Believe (GB).

 

 

Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
QATAR PRIX JEAN-LUC LAGARDERE (GRAND CRITERIUM)-G1, €400,000, ParisLongchamp, 10-1, 2yo, c/f, 7fT, 1:18.23 (NTR), g/s.
1–ROSALLION (IRE), 126, c, 2, by Blue Point (Ire)
1st Dam: Rosaline (Ire), by New Approach (Ire)
2nd Dam: Reem Three (GB), by Mark Of Esteem (Ire)
3rd Dam: Jumaireyah (GB), by Fairy King
1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O/B-Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum (IRE); T-Richard Hannon; J-Sean Levey. €228,560. Lifetime Record: SW & GSP-Eng, 4-3-0-1, €281,758. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Unquestionable (Fr), 126, c, 2, Wootton Bassett (GB)–Strawberry Lace (GB), by Sea The Stars (Ire). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (€340,000 Ylg '22 ARAUG). O-Al Shaqab Racing, Coolmore & Westerberg; B-Mme Camille Vitse, Mme Axelle Vitse, Mme Valentine Vitse & Guillaume Vitse (FR); T-Aidan O'Brien. €91,440.
3–Beauvatier (Fr), 126, c, 2, Lope De Vega (Ire)–Enchanting Skies (Ire), by Sea The Stars (Ire). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (€160,000 Ylg '22 ARQAUG). O-Philippe Allaire & Haras d'Etreham; B-Ecurie des Monceaux, Qatar Bloodstock Ltd & Mme Barbara M Keller (FR); T-Yann Barberot. €45,720.
Margins: 1, 1HF, 1. Odds: 6.10, 7.10, 1.00.
Also Ran: Henry Adams (Ire), Zabiari (GB), Native American (Ire), Jayarebe (Fr), Ballymount Boy (Ire), Evade (Fr), West Man (Ger). Scratched: Johannes Brahms (GB). Video, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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First Blood Fabre On Arc Day As Showcasing’s Belbek Strikes

Andre Fabre had only outsiders in the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, but Sunday's ParisLongchamp fixture's opener was a reminder that the general is still very much in the thick of it as Belbek (Fr) (Showcasing {GB}) captured the G1 Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.

Upstaged twice since his success in Chantilly's G3 Prix du Bois June 19 when fourth behind Blackbeard (Ire) (No Nay Never) in that track's G2 Prix Robert Papin July 17 and when fifth to this race's absentee The Antarctic (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the G3 Prix de Cabourg at Deauville Aug. 2, Nurlan Bizakov's homebred was 18-1 as a result in this “Win and You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland next month.

Those odds would have been fitting for any other colt with his race record in this kind of test, but pure logic dictates that where the master of Chantilly is concerned this was a serious miss by the pari-mutuel faithful. Handed the perfect draft behind the leading trio, the bay had over a length to make up on Gamestop (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) as that rival looked to have stolen a march approaching the final furlong but Mickael Barzalona had ultimately timed it right with Belbek produced to shade it inside the final 50 metres. At the line, there was a neck between him and the Wertheimers' fellow outsider, with TDN Rising Star Breizh Sky (Fr) (Pedro The Great) the same margin behind in third.

“We always thought he had a lot of ability, but he failed to settle in his last two races and was helped by the ground and the faster pace here. He might go to Doncaster for the Futurity Trophy maybe,” Fabre said after greeting his sixth winner of this prize which was formerly run as the Grand Criterium.

Nurlan Bizakov added, “This victory means a lot, because it is our first Group 1 success with the first colt that we have bred in France, a country that is doing well for us.”

Christophe Ferland said of Gamestop, “He was relaxed today–I think the hood helped him to get into his stride he had a good draw this time unlike last time.”

Breizh Sky posted the fastest sectional in the race as he chased from the two to the one and trainer Alessandro Botti said, “He found himself stuck behind the wrong horses and Christophe Soumillon didn't want to come all the way outside, which was the right choice. In spite of everything, the colt ran an excellent race and finished at full speed. We knew that the soft ground would not bother him and I hope he has more room for improvement next year. If he's good, we could make the trip to the Breeders' Cup over a mile.”

Pedigree Notes

Belbek, who is a flagbearer for Nurlan Bizakov's burgeoning Sumbe operation, was providing a further boost to the form of Blackbeard, if any was needed. This did little to alter the juvenile pecking order, with Blackbeard very much in the shade of Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) at Rosegreen. Belbek has room for progression over further than this seven-furlong trip, being out of a mare with middle-distance connections in Bee Queen (GB) (Makfi). Bought out of Juddmonte's draft in the 2017 Tattersalls December Mares Sale for just 50,000gns, she is a daughter of Trojan Queen (Empire Maker) which makes her a half-sister to the G3 Hampton Court S. winner Sangarius (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and to the G3 Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial-placed Emergent (GB) Showcasing's sire Oasis Dream (GB).

The third dam is Fabre's triple top-level-winning champion and Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine Banks Hill (GB) (Danehill), who produced the G1 Prix Prix Jean Romanet winner Romantica (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and the dual listed scorer and G2 Prix Niel runner-up Ideal World (Kingmambo). That makes the fourth dam the outstanding producer Hasili (Ire) (Kahyasi {Ire}), whose clutch of top-class progeny includes the GI Beverly D. S. winner Heat Haze (GB) by Oasis Dream's sire Green Desert. She went on to produce the strong-staying G1 Metropolitan hero Mirage Dancer (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Forge (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) who was second in two renewals of the GII Bernard Baruch H. and third in the GI Maker's 46 Mile S. Bee Queen's yearling colt is by Gleneagles (Ire).

Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
QATAR PRIX JEAN-LUC LAGARDERE (GRAND CRITERIUM) – SPONSORISE PAR MANATEQ-G1, €400,000, ParisLongchamp, 10-2, 2yo, c/f, 7fT, 1:22.98, vsf.
1–BELBEK (FR), 126, c, 2, by Showcasing (GB)
1st Dam: Bee Queen (GB), by Makfi (GB)
2nd Dam: Trojan Queen, by Empire Maker
3rd Dam: Banks Hill (GB), by Danehill
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Nurlan Bizakov; B-Sumbe (FR); T-Andre Fabre; J-Mickael Barzalona. €228,560. Lifetime Record: 6-3-0-0, €298,660. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Gamestop (Ire), 126, c, 2, Lope De Vega (Ire)–Your Game (Fr), by Montjeu (Ire). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O/B-Wertheimer & Frere (IRE); T-Christophe Ferland. €91,440.
3–Breizh Sky (Fr), 126 c, 2, Pedro The Great–Anna Danse (Fr), by Anabaa. 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. 'TDN Rising Star'. (€14,000 RNA Ylg '21 ARAUG). O-Alain Jathiere, Louis Baudron, Alessandro Botti, Giuseppe Botti & Ecurie Elag; B-Haras des Evees, Daniel Cherdo & Mme Claudie Cherdo (FR); T-Alessandro & Giuseppe Botti. €45,720.
Margins: NK, NK, 2. Odds: 17.70, 12.00, 3.80.
Also Ran: Shartash (Ire), Vicious Harry (Fr), Tigrais (Fr), Pivotal Trigger (GB). Scratched: The Antarctic (Ire). Video, sponsored by TVG.

 

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