Marianafoot (Fr) | Horse Racing Free Tips

There were just three of the dozen to contest Sunday's G1 LARC Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville trained in France, but despite extremely tough foreign opposition the home team managed a surprise one-two led by Marianafoot (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}). Prolific at a lower level of late, Jean-Claude Seroul's 6-year-old had captured the seven-furlong G3 Prix du Palais-Royal and G3 Prix de la Porte Maillot on ParisLongchamp's turning track May 30 and July 1 but was equally at home over the straight course here with Mickael Barzalona burying his mount in the stand's-side group early. Tacking on to the heels of the G1 July Cup hero Starman (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) inside the final two furlongs, the 9-1 shot sliced his way through a gap to swamp that 9-5 favourite passing the furlong pole. Readily asserting from there, the chestnut who was extending the amazing run of his owner-breeder and trainer Jerome Reynier in 2021 following the success of their Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) had 1 3/4 lengths to spare over compatriot Tropbeau (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) at the finish. That 92-1 shot was the shock of the race as she denied Starman by a nose for the silver medal. “We've been targeting this for a while and in all his races beforehand we had in mind that they were preps for this,” Reynier explained. “We know he stays seven easily and I think he'll go a mile, so we had it in mind to make the running and turn it into a stamina test if need be. It was just a matter of getting an opening and he settled it within a matter of strides.”

With France winless in the six preceding domestic group 1 races, Marianafoot looked to have a tall order to stop that trend especially with such a potent international threat including the title holders of the July Cup, G1 Prix Jean Prat, G1 Commonwealth Cup, G1 Qipco British Champions Sprint S. and G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. Even allowing for his relentless progress since December, where he began his winning sequence in a conditions event over this trip on this venue's Polytrack, the idea of him upstaging such a stellar cast was in part fanciful and few would have predicted that the finish would involve a duo who were yet to figure at this level. Tried over a straight track on his fourth start this year in Chantilly's Listed Prix Servanne over six furlongs Apr. 26, he proved that held no fears before twice inflicting defeats on Duhail (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) at ParisLongchamp. After that rival had run such a fine race to be on the premises in the G1 Sussex S. last week, the portents were strong that he would at least be there at the business end and he was drawn favourably low which would aid his cause.

With the other 9-5 joint market-leader Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) proving difficult behind the stalls and fly-leaping and nearly unshipping Frankie Dettori exiting the stalls, she could almost be ruled out of contention even before she took too hard a grip racing far side. In a fascinating tactical affair, Maxime Guyon opted to pursue the Stonestreet sensation on Thunder Moon (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) as they raced in isolation with Hollie Doyle adopting her usual front-running ploy on Glen Shiel (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) up the centre and it may be no coincidence that this trio eventually filled the last three places. Following Glen Shiel was the G2 Lennox S. winner Kinross (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and Tropbeau, while stand's side the third of the French runners Ocean (Fr) (Exosphere {Aus}) led the Jean Prat hero Laws of Indices (Ire) (Power {GB}) and Starman with the winner tucked in behind. Starman had forged ahead with 300 metres remaining, but Marianafoot was really picking up in his shadow and as that rival found extra the July Cup winner faded close home to lose second to Tropbeau who emerges with great credit.

“When I ran him over six furlongs at Chantilly, I considered it a test over a straight course and although the owner wasn't too keen to run I told him we needed to teach him something,” Reynier said. “That proved to be the right move, as since then he has been perfect. He is now a group 1 winner and a stallion prospect. We'll keep him in Deauville and keep him fresh to see if we go for the [G1 Prix Jacques le] Marois next week. I know Palace Pier is coming and he'll be a tough nut to crack, but if he's doing well we might well take our chance. Later, the obvious target is the [Oct. 3 G1 Prix de la] Foret [at ParisLongchamp] if the ground hasn't turned too soft by then. If we are lucky, we might finish in the Breeders' Cup Mile.”

Stephane Pasquier said of Tropbeau, “The filly showed very good acceleration to pip Starman and take second. It's all very satisfying.” Starman's owner David Ward commented, “Starman was beaten by the ground. We will have to travel outside Europe at some point to find ground that suits him. He still ran well, despite the conditions not being to his liking. The jockey confirmed our impression. On good ground, he's a different horse.”

Marianafoot's dam Marianabaa (Fr) (Anabaa) is also responsible for the stable's 4-year-old Padron (Ire) (Gris de Gris {Ire}), who captured this year's Listed Prix Altipan and was third in the G3 Dusseldorfer Fruhjahrs-Meile. The second dam is the Listed Prix des Lilas scorer and G3 Prix Chloe runner-up Maria Gabriella (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}), who produced the listed scorer Mariafoot (Fr) from a mating with Marianafoot's sire Footstepsinthesand. Maria Gabriella is kin to the Listed Prix Volterra winner and G3 Prix d'Aumale and G3 Prix Miesque runner-up Night of Light (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) and to last year's G2 Dante S. runner-up Highest Ground (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). Marianabaa's 3-year-old full-sister to Marianafoot named Marianansand (Fr) was fourth in the Listed Prix Aymeri de Mauleon this term, while she also has the unraced 2-year-old colt Mariananchic (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}).

Sunday, Deauville, France
LARC PRIX MAURICE DE GHEEST-G1, €380,000, Deauville, 8-8, 3yo/up, 6 1/2fT, 1:17.04, sf.
1–MARIANAFOOT (FR), 130, h, 6, by Footstepsinthesand (GB)
1st Dam: Marianabaa (Fr), by Anabaa
2nd Dam: Maria Gabriella (Ire), by Rock of Gibraltar (Ire)
3rd Dam: Celestial Lagoon (Jpn), by Sunday Silence
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O/B-Jean-Claude Seroul (FR); T-Jerome Reynier; J-Mickael Barzalona. €217,132. Lifetime Record: SW-Qat, 23-15-2-1, €650,262. *1/2 to Padron (Ire) (Gris de Gris {Ire}), SW-Fr & GSP-Ger. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Tropbeau (GB), 127, f, 4, Showcasing (GB)–Frangipanni (Ire), by Dansili (GB). (60,000gns Ylg '18 TAOCT; €180,000 2yo '19 ARQMA). O-Lady Bamford; B-Lord Margadale (GB); T-Andre Fabre. €86,868.
3–Starman (GB), 130, c, 4, Dutch Art (GB)–Northern Star (Ire), by Montjeu (Ire). O/B-David Ward (GB); T-Ed Walker. €43,434.
Margins: 1 3/4, NO, HD. Odds: 8.90, 92.00, 1.80.
Also Ran: Brando (GB), Kinross (GB), Ocean (Fr), Lope Y Fernandez (Ire), Laws of Indices (Ire), Rohaan (Ire), Glen Shiel (GB), Thunder Moon (Ire), Campanelle (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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Sunday's G1 Prix d'Ispahan at ParisLongchamp sees two of France's big names Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) and The Revenant (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) go head-to-head over the unique intermediate trip of nine furlongs 55 yards. While Skalleti has yet to strike at this exalted level despite holding the enviable tally of seven group-race wins, his compatriot has won one of the most prestigious of them all in Ascot's G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. in October. Disappointing so far this term, Al Asayl France's The Revenant could have been forgiven for his return third to Wally (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) in the G3 Prix Edmond Blanc at Saint-Cloud Apr. 3 but there is no denying that he was below-par when subsequently fourth in the G2 Prix du Muguet over the same course and distance at the start of the month. Contrastingly, Skalleti has continued on his relentless quest to garner as many of his nation's pattern races as he can manage and comes here on the back of a defeat of the subsequent impressive G1 Prix Ganay winner Mare Australis (Ire) (Australia {GB}) in this venue's 10-furlong G2 Prix d'Harcourt Apr. 11.

Skalleti's trainer Jerome Reynier already has his eye on going one better than last year's second in the G1 Qipco Champion S. and said, “We felt running him in the Ganay a few weeks after the d'Harcourt was probably too much, so we've been kind on him and decided we'd go straight to the d'Ispahan with a bit of freshness. The distance is on the short side and the ground will be on the firm side for him, but we can't really expect much softer ground at this time of the year. The race that would have been best for him is the [G1] Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh, but logistically it was impossible to travel the horse to Ireland with the staff and everything, so we decided we'd stay at home and we're hoping for the best on Sunday. His target for 2021 is definitely the Champion Stakes–we'll try to get our revenge on Addeybb.”

Francis-Henri Graffard said of The Revenant, “He's in good shape. Nine furlongs is a step up in trip for him and hopefully it does not dry too much–I hope the ground will not be too firm for him. The softer the better for him, so we'll see. He's in very good form and very happy. The [G1] Queen Anne [at Royal Ascot June 15] is an option if the ground is suitable.”

Away from the main pair, TDN Rising Star Victor Ludorum (GB) (Shamardal) is impossible to rule out of the equation given that he is a G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner who was set some stiff tasks in 2020. Third on his comeback in the Muguet, Godolphin's classy performer could benefit from the step up from a mile but will certainly strip fitter for his reintroduction according to the operation's Lisa-Jane Graffard. “Victor Ludorum very much needed his run in the Prix du Muguet and came on for his first appearance of the year,” she said. “It's not impossible that he may need this run as well and could improve again for it. He won the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on soft ground, but we feel that a horse with his turn of foot is better suited to quicker conditions as he showed in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains. If the ground is holding, it could be a slight question mark for him, but he is in good form.”

Interestingly, the Muguet winner Duhail (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) is asked to race under a penalty dropping back for the seven-furlong G3 Prix du Palais-Royal on the same card. Apparently G1 Sussex S.-bound, Al Shaqab Racing's improving 5-year-old has shown abundant speed in the past and will have no problem with this shorter trip. A taller order will be whether the Andre Fabre trainee can give four pounds to Jean-Claude Seroul's Marianafoot (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) who is on a streak having made Chantilly's Listed Prix Servanne his fourth straight win and fifth in his last six over six furlongs last time Apr. 26. Duhail also has seven pounds to concede to Rashit Shaykhutdinov's 2020 G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches runner-up Speak of the Devil (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who was last seen winning over this course and distance in the Listed Prix de Saint-Cyr in October.

Dusseldorf host the G2 German 1000 Guineas, where Godolphin's Sky Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) bids to take the prize back to France for the Henri-Alex Pantall stable. Runner-up in the G3 Prix Imprudence over seven furlongs on her return at Deauville Apr. 8, she was fourth tackling this mile in the Listed Prix des Lilas at Chantilly May 11. “Sky Angel ran very well in the Prix Imprudence and her latest performance looks another good effort, with the winner that day having previously beaten this year's Pouliches scorer Coeursamba,” Godolphin's Lisa-Jane Graffard commented. Of the home team, Gestut Auenquelle's Reine d'Amour (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) is a key protagonist on her success in Baden-Baden's G3 Zukunftsrennen in September and defeat of Gestut Brummerhof's Libre (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) in the course-and-distance Listed Henkel-Stutenpreis May 8. Others in the mix are the May 2 G3 Karin Baronin von Ullmann Schwarzgold-Rennen one-two Belcarra (Ire) (Estidhkaar {Ire}) and Wismar (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}). The G2 Grosser Aengevelt Immobilien-Preis Badener Meile sees the return of Sabine Goldberg's unbeaten G3 Prix Perth scorer Jin Jin (Ire) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}) as she encounters last year's German 1000 Guineas heroine Lancade (GB) (Areion {Ger}) and co.

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