G2 Prix d'Harcourt | Horse Racing Free Tips

Simca Mille Back In Style

Returning from a break having failed to make an impact in the G1 Japan Cup, Haras de la Perelle and Stephane Wattel's Simca Mille (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}-Swertia {GB}, by Pivotal {GB}) again demonstrated his love of ParisLongchamp by winning Sunday's G2 Prix d'Harcourt. Impressive in the G2 Prix Niel here in September, having finished second to Onesto (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in the G1 Grand Prix de Paris over that same mile-and-a-half course and distance in July, the 7-1 shot was positioned close to the early pace by Alexis Pouchin dropping back in trip. In front at the top of the 2 1/2-furlong straight, he stayed on strongly as the G1 Prix Royal-Oak hero Iresine (Fr) (Manduro {Ger}) put up a spirited chase and had 3/4 of a length to spare at the line over that rival, who was giving away two pounds. Al Shaqab Racing's G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano scorer and Arc fourth Al Hakeem (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) was disappointing as the 4-5 favourite, beaten four lengths in fourth.

“I had hoped we could leave Japan behind us, but there was some concern,” trainer Stephane Wattel said. “I still don't have a clue what happened there-I believed he had a good chance, but he was beaten four out and I kept questioning myself as to whether or not I had done something wrong. He was training well for this return, but I didn't know if he still wanted to fight so he gave us the perfect answer. We were lucky to have good ground and a good pace and the shorter trip didn't prove a problem. He is good. Period. We will be back for the Ganay.”

Iresine's handler Jean-Pierre Gauvin is keen on a rematch in the course-and-distance feature in three weeks' time, which is set to feature the returning Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}) and Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). “It was a great performance for a comeback, giving weight,” he said. “He runs superbly well at Longchamp, whatever the distance or the ground so if he is well he will return for the Ganay.”

Pedigree Notes
Simca Mille, who was also successful in Chantilly's G3 Prix du Lys last term, is the first foal out of Swertia, a daughter of The Aga Khan's G3 Prix de Conde, G3 Prix Penelope and G3 Prix Cleopatre-placed Sanjida (Ire) (Polish Precedent). Among Sanjida's half-siblings is the G1 Prix de Diane, G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and G1 Prix Saint-Alary-winning champion Sarafina (Fr) (Refuse To Bend {Ire}), who is in turn the dam of the G3 Prix d'Aumale scorer Savarin (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and her G3 Prix Messidor-winning full-brother Geniale (Jpn). Swertia's 2-year-old filly by Invincible Spirit (Ire) is named Slawena (GB).

Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
PRIX D'HARCOURT-G2, €130,000, ParisLongchamp, 4-9, 4yo/up, 10fT, 2:03.39, g/s.
1–SIMCA MILLE (IRE), 128, c, 4, by Tamayuz (GB)
1st Dam: Swertia (GB), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Sanjida (Ire), by Polish Precedent
3rd Dam: Sanariya (Ire), by Darshaan (GB)
(€68,000 RNA Ylg '20 ARQSEP). O-Haras de la Perelle & Stephane Wattel; B-Haras de la Perelle (IRE); T-Stephane Wattel; J-Alexis Pouchin. €74,100. Lifetime Record: 11-5-4-0, €368,160. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Iresine (Fr), 130, g, 6, Manduro (Ger)–Inanga (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB). (€6,000 Ylg '18 ARQOCT). O-Bertrand Milliere, Ecurie Jean-Paul Gauvin, Christian Goutelle et al; B-P Joyaux & Bnne M-L Van Dedem (FR); T-Jean-Pierre Gauvin. €28,600.
3–Kertez (GB), 126, g, 5, Intello (Ger)–Distortion (GB), by Distorted Humor. O/B-Wertheimer et Frere (GB); T-Andre Fabre. €13,650.
Margins: 3/4, 1 1/4, 2. Odds: 7.30, 4.20, 13.00.
Also Ran: Al Hakeem (GB), Haya Zark (Fr), Alter Adler (Ger), Calgary (Fr). Video, sponsored by TVG.

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Rouget Lines Up Turf Stars In Paris

ParisLongchamp stages a fascinating card on Sunday as the 2023 campaign moves onwards, with the G2 Prix d'Harcourt featuring a Group 1 winner in Bertrand Milliere's Prix Royal-Oak hero Iresine (Fr) (Manduro {Ger}). Saddled with a four-pound penalty for his triumph in the marathon test here in October, he has his work cut out dealing with genuine mile-and-a-half performers like Haras de la Perelle and Stephane Wattel's G2 Prix Niel winner Simca Mille (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) and Al Shaqab Racing's G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano scorer Al Hakeem (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), who closed out his 3-year-old term with a 2 1/2-lengths fourth in the Arc. Al Hakeem is one of Rouget's more talented representatives and while he has some ground to make up on the stable's Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}), it is not a great deal and he is open to big improvement at four.

A Burgeoning Force?

In the nine-furlong G3 Prix la Force, it is the first reckoning of Rouget's TDN Rising Star Padishakh (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) who is untried in black-type company but who looked every bit up to scratch in two conditions races here and at Chantilly in September and October. Nurlan Bizakov's big French hope has his initial encounter with a Ballydoyle runner as the stable continues to spread out its Classic hopefuls. Greenland (Ire) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}) is the one here and he is rated considerably better than the bare form of his last-of-four effort in the G2 Royal Lodge S. at Newmarket in September. Rouget's telling time continues in the G3 Prix Vanteaux over the same trip, where Ecurie Billon's Around Midnight (Fr) (Almanzor {Fr}) re-opposes Sea The Lady (Fr) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) having beaten her in the Listed Criterium de l'Ouest at Craon in September before finishing runner-up in Deauville's G3 Prix des Reservoirs the following month. One of the dark ones is Al Shira'aa Farms' Chantilly maiden winner Jannah Rose (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), a Carlos Laffon-Parias trainee who is a half to the highly progressive mare Creggs Pipes (Ire) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}).

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Skalleti Swoops late For Harcourt Win

Jean-Claude Seroul's ultra-consistent 7-year-old Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) suffered just one reversal in six group-race starts last year and posted seasonal highs in ParisLongchamp's G1 Prix d'Ispahan and Munich's G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis. The globetrotting grey also saluted in 2021's G2 Prix d'Harcourt and was back at the Bois de Boulogne venue to successfully defend his title in Sunday's latest edition after failing to achieve a similar feat when third in Saint-Cloud's G3 Prix Exbury last month. The even-money favourite adopted his usual patient tactics from the outset and found a smooth rhythm tracking all five rivals through the early fractions of in this 10-furlong test. Tanking into sixth along the rail at halfway, he endured traffic at every turn in the straight and unboxed his trademark acceleration once navigating a passage to the outside approaching the eighth pole to overhaul G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and G1 Champion S. hero Sealiway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) and last year's runnner-up Mare Australis (Ire) (Australia {GB}), by 3/4-of-a-length and a head, in the dying embers.

“He looked to be in a bit of bother 1 1/2 furlongs from home and, once he had a clear run on the outside, he again used his turn of foot to devastating effect,” said racing manager Alain Decrion. “He may have needed the race at Saint-Cloud last time and it is always difficult to make up ground on the outside there when the going is good. He had come on for the run and he loves Longchamp. He has followed the same as programme last year–Exbury and Harcourt–and, like last year, he might pass on the [May 1 G1] Prix Ganay. The trainer will decide one way or the other and the [May 29 G1] Prix d'Ispahan could, once again, be the target.”

Reflecting on the performance of runner-up Sealiway, Pauline Chehboub said, “He didn't have the best of trips and the race didn't unfold as we thought it might, but we're delighted with the run. He had taken his race in Saudia Arabia very well and the trainer was pleased with his work at home. He was very relaxed during the preliminaries today, which was a good sign, and we will stick to the original plan and go for the [May 1 G1 Prix] Ganay.”

Skalleti, recording his 11th pattern-race victory here, is the second foal bred from MGSP Listed Prix Occitanie victrix Skallet (Fr) (Muhaymin). He is a full-brother to last year's G2 Prix Vicomtesse de Vigier winner and G1 Prix Royal-Oak runner-up Skazino (Fr), Listed Prix du Ranelagh placegetter Skalleto (Fr) and the hitherto unraced 3-year-old gelding Skalli (GB). Skallet is the leading performer out of Listed Le Vase d'Argent runner-up Siran (Fr) (R.B. Chesne {GB}), herself kin to Listed Derby du Languedoc victor Percent Premium (Fr) (Johann Quatz {Fr}). Skalleti's fourth dam La Manouche (Margouillat {Fr}) is kin to the stakes-winning Mousseline de Soie (Fr) (Riverman), herself the dam of three stakes winners headed by stakes-winning G2 Grosser Hertie-Preis von Deutschland second Silk Stage (Stage Door Johnny).

Sunday, Deauville, France
PRIX D'HARCOURT-G2, €130,000, ParisLongchamp, 4-10, 4yo/up, 10fT, 2:08.73, vsf.
1–SKALLETI (FR), 128, g, 7, by Kendargent (Fr)
1st Dam: Skallet (Fr) (SW & MGSP-Fr, $181,946), by Muhaymin
2nd Dam: Siran (Fr), by R. B. Chesne (GB)
3rd Dam: Surubinha (Fr), by Solicitor (Fr)
(€85,000 Ylg '16 ARAUG). O-Jean-Claude Seroul; B-Guy
Pariente Holding (FR); T-Jerome Reynier; J-Maxime Guyon.
€74,100. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Fr & Ger, MGSW-Ity &
G1SP-Eng, 25-18-1-3, €1,186,134. *Full to Skazino (Fr),
MGSW-Fr & G1SP-Fr, $574,639; and Skalleto (Fr), SP-Fr,
$246,161. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Werk Nick Rating: A++.
2–Sealiway (Fr), 130, c, 4, Galiway (GB)–Kensea (Fr), by
Kendargent (Fr). (€62,000 Ylg '19 ARAUG). O-Le Haras de la
Gousserie & Guy Pariente; B-Guy Pariente Holding (FR);
T-Francis-Henri Graffard. €28,600.
3–Mare Australis (Ire), 126, h, 5, Australia (GB)–Miramare
(Ger), by Rainbow Quest. O-Gestut Schlenderhan; B-Stall
Ullmann (IRE); T-Andre Fabre. €13,650.
Margins: 3/4, HD, HD. Odds: 1.00, 4.10, 3.20.
Also Ran: Dawn Intello (Fr), Mr de Pourceaugnac (Fr), Hurricane Dream (Fr). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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Sunday Previews: An Old Alliance Strengthens Anew

It has been mooted more than one this spring, but without labouring a point it seems clear after the declarations for the racing at ParisLongchamp on Sunday that Messrs Fabre and Peslier are linked again, at least for the time being. France's dynamic duo combine with two major chances in the group races on the fixture, with Lady Bamford's Dreamflight (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the nine-furlong G3 Prix la Force and with Gestut Schlenderhan's returning Mare Australis (Ire) (Australia {GB}) in the G2 Prix d'Harcourt over a mile and a quarter. The latter is racing for the first time since winning the G1 Prix Ganay here last May, so will he be sharp enough to deal with fellow top-level scorers Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) and Sealiway (Fr) (Galiway {GB})?

Will Dreams Shatter For Tumbler?

Taking on Dreamflight in the Force is the Wertheimers' exciting colt Tumbler (Fr) (Kingman {GB}), who earned 'TDN Rising Star' status with his 10-length debut romp at Saint-Cloud in October. Entered in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and G1 Prix du Jockey Club, the relative of Falco re-enters the fray over this interim trip to help Carlos Laffon-Parias decide which route to take. In the G3 Prix Vanteaux for fillies also over nine furlongs, man-of-the-moment Peslier maintains his allegiance to Jean-Etienne Dubois's Listed Grand Criterium de Bordeaux winner Singforthemoment (Ire) (No Nay Never) in what should be another informative afternoon.

A Clearer Picture

To say that the 3-year-old career of 'TDN Rising Star' High Definition (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was an anti-climax is an understatement, but Ballydoyle's 2020 G2 Beresford S. winner gets a clean slate in the G3 Alleged S. at The Curragh. The truth is, we still don't know how much ability he has and this should begin to enlighten us. In the card's G3 Gladness S., another star of the 2020 juvenile scene and fellow 'TDN Rising Star' Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) also makes his comeback. It seems a long time since Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez's colt sparkled in the G1 Goffs Vincent O'Brien National S. and if he can give 13 pounds weight-for-age to the Madrid H. scorer Markaz Paname (Ire) (Markaz {Ire}) he will be well on course.

Click here for the group fields.

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