ParisLongchamp | Horse Racing Free Tips

Dubawi’s Space Blues Strikes For Belated Foret Success

Charlie Appleby had pencilled in ParisLongchamp's G1 Qatar Prix de la Foret as an end-of-season target for Godolphin's 'TDN Rising Star' Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) since 2019, but met with one setback after another at a vital juncture in recent seasons and prior engagements were not fulfilled. Scroll forward to 2021 and the 5-year-old chestnut delivered a performance of sheer brilliance to make up for previous absences and won going away in style at the end of the seven-furlong test. Space Blues' 2020 season was brought to a premature close after winning Deauville's G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest and he continued in similar vein when annexing Riyadh's valuable Turf Sprint in his first start this year. Unplaced when contesting Meydan's Mar. 27 G1 Al Quoz Sprint and Goodwood's July 27 G2 Lennox S., he went postward as the crowd's 7-2 favourite for this date with destiny coming back off an impressive score in York's Aug. 21 G2 City of York. Rider William Buick employed patient tactics after an alert getaway and settled his mount into a smooth rhythm towards the back of a strung-out field. Inching ever closer in the straight, Space Blues was last to come off the bridle after the cutaway and quickened smartly inside the final furlong to easily outpoint the prominently ridden Pearls Galore (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) by two lengths. Japan's Entscheiden (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) fared best of the remainder and finished 3/4-of-a-length back in third.

“We saw how he was at York, he's definitely back to his best and I'm delighted,” said Charlie Appleby after bookending the weekend stakes extravaganza with winners. “We took it a bit easy with him in the Spring and he came out on soft ground at Goodwood. He needed that a little bit and then went to York where I thought he was fantastic. I have been trying to get him to this race for the past three years and we put him bubble wrap, so to speak, after York and protected him. He worked last week and electric so I was confident, apart from the ground being a bit testing, coming into today. I told William [Buick] to not get drawn too far back, but he's got all the confidence in the world and rode with oodles of it. William filled him up in the straight and, once he pressed the button, there's one thing this horse can do and that's produce an electrifying turn of foot. That's just what he did and he put the race to bed. It's been a great weekend and I'm delighted for the whole team.”

As a career in the breeding shed awaits, Appleby indicated a Stateside swansong at Del Mar might now be on the agenda for Space Blues. “This, potentially, is his last year in training and he deserves to take up stud duties when the time comes. We might just give him one more roll of the dice in the [GI] Breeders' Cup Mile. He'll travel around there [at Del Mar] and, with a half-decent draw and a bit of wind behind him, he might be alright.”

“He's just a machine and one of my favourite horses,” added Buick. “He's generous, easy to ride and has a lot of class. With him, you just have to sit back and wait for him to deliver his finishing kick. The Breeders' Cup Mile is a two-turn race and he's adaptable enough to do well there.”

Dual Group 3 winner Pearls Galore was narrowly denied in last month's G1 Matron S. at Leopardstown on Irish Champions weekend and another turn in the spotlight yielded another runner-up finish at the highest level, albeit in more clear-cut fashion this time around. “Pearls Galore put in a magnificent effort and the only one to beat her is a very good horse,” said Haras de Saint Pair's racing advisor Crispin de Moubray. “She deserves to win a Group 1 race one day and it's up to Monsieur [Andreas] Putsch to decide whether she stays in training next year. It's a great story as he placed his trust in Paddy Twomey, and the reward has been two Group wins and two Group 1 seconds. Paddy Twomey is a great trainer.”

Koji Maeda's Japanese stakes scorer Entscheiden took a useful sighter when fifth over course and distance in last month's G3 Prix du Pin and benefitted from that prior experience to claim third at odds of 45-1. “The horse had already run well on a soft track in Japan, he loved the ground here and gave his all,” said rider Ryusei Sakai. “I believed that the race was there for the taking at the first winning post and he really proved courageous in the run to the line.”

Space Blues, one of four winners produced by G2 Challenge S. victress Miss Lucifer (Fr) (Noverre), is a half-brother to MGSW G2 Al Maktoum Challenge and G3 UAE Oaks winner Shuruq (Elusive Quality), herself the dam of this year's GIII The Very One H. winner and GI Belmont Oaks Invitational runner-up Antoinette (Hard Spun). The homebred chestnut is also kin to the unraced 3-year-old filly Beautiful Future (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) and a yearling filly by Dark Angel (Ire). Miss Lucifer is the the leading performer out of a winning half-sister to G2 King Edward VII S.-winning sire Amfortas (Ire) (Caerleon) and fellow sires Chevalier (Ire) (Danehill) and Chief Lone Eagle (Giant's Causeway). She is also kin to G3 Prix de Royaumont victress Legend Maker (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), herself the dam of G1 1000 Guineas heroine Virginia Waters (Kingmambo), and to the dam of G1 Matron S. victress Chachamaidee (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}). Space Blues' third dam High Spirited (Ire) (Shirley Heights {GB}), whose descendants also include the Classic-placed duo Rain Goddess (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Alexander of Hales (Danehill), is a full-sister to G1 Premio Roma heroine High Hawk (Ire), herself the dam of MG1SW sire In the Wings (GB) (Sadler's Wells).

Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
QATAR PRIX DE LA FORET-G1, €350,000, ParisLongchamp, 10-3, 3yo/up, 7fT, 1:22.97, hy.
1–SPACE BLUES (IRE), 128, h, 5, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Miss Lucifer (Fr) (GSW-Eng, $193,403), by Noverre
2nd Dam: Devil's Imp (Ire), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB)
3rd Dam: High Spirited (Ire), by Shirley Heights (GB)
O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick. €199,990. Lifetime Record: Hwt. Older Horse-Fr at 5-7f, 18-10-3-1, €1,305,608. *1/2 to Shuruq (Elusive Quality), Hwt. Older Mare-UAE at 7-9.5f, MGSW-UAE, GSW-Tur & GSP-Eng, $658,709. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Pearls Galore (Fr), 125, f, 4, Invincible Spirit (Ire)–Pearl Banks (GB), by Pivotal (GB). O/B-SCEA Haras de Saint Pair (FR); T-Paddy Twomey. €80,010.
3–Entscheiden (Jpn), 128, h, 6, Deep Impact (Jpn)–Le Sucre, by Sakura Bakushin O (Jpn). O-Koji Maeda; B-North Hills (Jpn); T-Yoshito Yahagi. €40,005.
Margins: 2, 3/4, 1 1/4. Odds: 3.50, 7.70, 45.00.
Also Ran: Kinross (GB), Sagamiyra (Fr), Speak Of The Devil (Fr), Current Option (Ire), Tropbeau (GB), Last Empire (GB), Duhail (Ire), Njord (Ire), Onassis (Ire), Rhythm Master (Ire), Erasmo (GB), Colosseo. Scratched: Thunder Moon (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

The post Dubawi’s Space Blues Strikes For Belated Foret Success appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Abbaye Glory For Hot Streak’s A Case Of You

Fast-becoming renowned for his lethal finishing kick, Gary Devlin's A Case of You (Ire) (Hot Streak {Ire}) had just missed out in the G1 Flying Five but the line was there in time for him in Sunday's G1 Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp Longines, a “Win and You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar in November.

Having only his second start at this five-furlong trip, the 3-year-old who was supplemented following his Curragh flourish on Irish Champions Weekend needed every centimetre of it to break the heart of the runaway Air de Valse (Fr) (Mesnil Des Aigles {Fr}) and prevail by a short head. Kept in the hunt by Ronan Whelan racing amongst the pack early, the 10-1 shot matched his rider's tenacity in carving out enough space to begin his pursuit of Corine Barande-Barbe's ParisLongchamp specialist who had shrugged off Winter Power (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}) on the front end passing two out. It was desperate stuff entering the closing stages, with the 48-1 looking set to cling on but the star of the Adrian McGuinness yard pointed his head out for the mirror and had it there marginally ahead for the judge. Nothing else was able to close out of the main bunch and there was a yawning five-length margin back to Glass Slippers (GB) (Dream Ahead), who had won this in 2019 and was second last year, while the 5-2 favourite Suesa (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) was a laboured fifth. “When he was second in the Flying Five he was my first ever runner in a group 1 and we supplemented him for this race last week because I knew he'd improve,” trainer “Ado” explained. “He was a three-grand yearling and a very cheap horse–I just can't believe it.”

Coming to the fore when taking The Curragh's re-arranged G3 Anglesey S. in October for trainer John McConnell, A Case of You the G3 Goffs Lacken S. showed he was no flash-in-the-pan on his seasonal return when comprehensively accounting for the subsequent black-type scorers Logo Hunter (Ire) (Brazen Beau {Aus}) and Mooneista (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) in a six-furlong conditions event at Dundalk Mar. 19. Last of 12 trying an extra furlong in the Listed Ballylinch Stud 2000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown Apr. 11, the bay had the eventual G1 Prix Jean Prat winner Laws of Indices (Ire) (Power {GB}) back in fourth reverting to six in the G3 Lacken S. at Naas May 16. Only 11th in the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot June 18, he was third after a break in The Curragh's G3 Phoenix Sprint S. Aug. 8 before his late show against Romantic Proposal (Ire) (Raven's Pass) in the Sept. 12 Flying Five.

“He's just got better and better and I think he'll be a very good horse next year,” McGuinness said. “He's thriving and I knew he was right today–he wasn't when he ran in the Commonwealth Cup. I have a good sprinter that won the other night and he can't lay up with this horse. Ronan's a world-class jockey and I told him not to panic, as I knew he'd stay really well. He'll be better on better ground and we'll definitely look at the Breeders' Cup. It's either that or we put him away and look at Dubai in the spring–he's definitely going to travel.”

Barande-Barbe had to suffer the dejection of losing out so late in the game, having looked certain to prevail with her homebred Air de Valse whose efforts over this strip include a win in the 2020 G3 Prix du Petit Couvert when she had beaten last year's Abbaye hero Wooded (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). “It is so frustrating to lose by so little, as to win a group 1 race changes the life of a trainer,” she said. “I'm so proud of my filly–Longchamp is her garden.”

A Case of You, who becomes the first group 1 winner for his Haras d'Annebault-based sire, is out of Karjera (Ire) (Key of Luck) who is a full-sister to the Listed Rochestown S. winner Akanti (Ire) and to Lock and Key (Ire) who was placed in the GIII Las Cienegas H., the G3 Brownstown S., G3 Round Tower S. and G3 International S. From the family of the GII Delaware H. winner Summer Wind Dancer (Siberian Summer) and the GIII All American H. and G3 Diomed S.-winning sire Bluegrass Prince (Ire), Karjera's unraced 2-year-old filly by Alhebayeb (Ire) is named Ali Babes (Ire).

Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
PRIX DE L'ABBAYE DE LONGCHAMP LONGINES-G1, €350,000, ParisLongchamp, 10-3, 2yo/up, 5fT, :58.02, hy.
1–A CASE OF YOU (IRE), 131, c, 3, by Hot Streak (Ire)
1st Dam: Karjera (Ire), by Key of Luck
2nd Dam: Lock's Heath, by Topsider
3rd Dam: Lock's Dream, by Youth
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (€3,000 RNA Ylg '19 GOFSPT). O-Gary Devlin; B-Limestone and Tara Studs (IRE); T-Adrian McGuinness; J-Ronan Whelan. €199,990. Lifetime Record: MGSW & G1SP-Ire, 10-5-1-2, $345,390. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Air de Valse (Fr), 133, m, 5, Mesnil des Aigles (Fr)–Air Bag (Fr), by Poliglote (GB). O/B/T-Corine Barande-Barbe (FR). €80,010.
3–Glass Slippers (GB), 133, m, 5, Dream Ahead–Night Gypsy (GB), by Mind Games (GB). O/B-Bearstone Stud Ltd (GB); T-Kevin Ryan. €40,005.
Margins: SHD, 5, SHD. Odds: 10.80, 48.00, 5.60.
Also Ran: Mo Celita (Ire), Suesa (Ire), Ponntos (Ire), O Trasno (Fr), Winter Power (Ire), Lady In France (GB), Romantic Proposal (Ire), Pradaro (Fr), Wild Majesty (Ire), Dandalla (Ire), Berneuil (Ire). Scratched: Urban Beat (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

The post Abbaye Glory For Hot Streak’s A Case Of You appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Territories’ Rougir Takes The Opera On The Line

Le Haras de la Gousserie's 3-year-old Rougir (Fr) (Territories {Ire}) ran third in last year's G1 Prix Marcel Boussac, following up with a win in Deauville's Oct. 20 G3 Prix des Reservoirs, but was winless in six outings this term. Lining up for Sunday's G1 Prix de l'Opera Longines at ParisLongchamp coming back off a narrow defeat when third in August's G2 Prix de la Nonette, the 23-1 outsider continued the theme of long-priced winners on the Bois de Boulogne venue's card with a last-gasp thrust to deny G1 Prix Jean Romanet heroine Grand Glory (GB) (Olympic Glory {Ire}) in a bobbing finish for a career high. This campaign has not been without its notable moments for the March-foaled chestnut, with a third in the July 18 G3 Prix Chloe at Chantilly and a fourth in the Aug. 3 G1 Prix Rothschild at Deauville the stand-out efforts so far. Rougir employed patient tactics and settled in rear for most of the 10-furlong contest. Last of 14 turning for home, she made relentless headway under pressure in the straight to challenge out wide approaching the furlong marker and would not be denied under a late drive to nail Grand Glory on the line in a thrilling finish.

“It's my first Group 1 win, it's a moment I'll cherish forever and I'll certainly celebrate it,” beamed winning trainer Cedric Rossi. “She has been unlucky in some of her races, but she has never disappointed us in any way and today was the right day to win.”

Heading Stateside for a trip to Del Mar's Breeders' Cup meet is now on the cards for the winner, with the conditioner explaining, “This race has a “Win And You're In” ticket for the [GI] Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf and, if she's well, she'll definitely go there.”

Haras de la Gousserie's Pauline Chehboub had added cause for celebration with the operation's representatives Skazino and Sealiway adding lustre to the weekend with fine performances in defeat in the G1 Prix du Cadran and G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, respectively. “What a marvellous filly she is and she left her heart out on the track like she always does,” she said. “Rougir never runs a bad race, whatever the ground. Sometimes she has missed by a little and today the nose was in our favour. The whole family is here and she has capped a memorable weekend for us. Skazino ran well in Saturday's Cadran and it was a great performance by Sealiway in the Arc after such a long break. We are hoping to go to the Breeders' Cup next month.”

Maxime Guyon had registered just one prior win in the contest, that coming with Shalanaya (Ire) (Lomitas {GB}) in 2009, and the rider was in jubilant mood afterwards. “That went well!” he said. “Her trainer told me the ground wouldn't be a problem, but we were badly drawn and had to be patient. I would like to thank connections for trusting me again, as I didn't give her the best of rides [when a four-length eighth] in the French Guineas. It's magic and I am really happy for Cedric [Rossi] too. The filly really deserved that.”

As is so often the way in these ding-dong encounters, Gianluca Bietolini trainee Grand Glory was in front just before and just after the line, but the camera doesn't lie. Nonetheless, she outstripped her seventh in last year's renewal and a trip abroad might yet be on the cards before the paddocks beckon. “Grand Glory has run yet another huge race,” said Bietolini. “We won the Prix Jean Romanet by a nose and today we were beaten by one. That's the magic of racing and there are no excuses. This will be her last year in training and we will have a look at where she goes next. She has been invited to run in the [G1] Japan Cup, but nothing has been decided for the moment.”

Edouard Monfort was delighted with the run of 49-1 outsider Eudaimonia, who weaved a scenic passage from rear and stayed on to deny last term's G1 Prix Jean Romanet and GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine Audarya (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) by a neck for third in the dying strides. “We have looked after Eudaimonia all year,” the trainer admitted. “With the help of John Hammond, racing manager for her owner, we have been able to keep her fresh all year. She didn't have ideal conditions for her first two runs of the year so we didn't force her. Today was the big day and we were glad that the rain came. We chose this race over the [Listed] Prix Dahlia and the [G2] Prix Dollar and it was the right decision to do so. She is a lovely mare who has improved massively. That was a proper race, there are no excuses for anyone and she deserved that. The front pair are two very good horses and well done to them, but I am also very proud of Eudaimonia. She is entered [in the G2 Premio Lydia Tesio] in Italy next month and if the ground is soft, we will have a look. There is also the [Oct. 17 G2] Prix du Conseil de Paris [back here] and we will see how she comes out of this. We might even think about travelling abroad with her this winter. Why not?”

Rougir, originally named Lune de Printemps (Fr), is the third of four foals and becomes the first Group 1 winner for her second-crop sire. Her dam, Listed Prix Coronation runner-up Summer Moon (Fr) (Elusive City), has produced the twice-raced 2-year-old gelding Lunaire (Fr) (Recorder {GB}) and is the leading performer bred from G3 Prix de Royaumont runner-up Kalatuna (Fr) (Green Tune). Rougir's third dam, Listed Prix Comte Gaston d'Oultremont victrix Kalasinger (Chief Singer {Ire}), is the best horse out of Kasala (Blushing Groom {Fr}). Kasala is a full-sister to Listed Prix de la Theve winner Kadissya, herself the dam of three stakes winners, headed by G1 Epsom Derby and G1 Irish Derby-winning sire Kahyasi (Ire) (Ile de Bourbon). Kasala is also kin to G3 Premio Roma Vecchia victrix Karkisiya (Caro {Ire}) as well as to the dam of G1 Yorkshire Oaks heroine and G1 Irish St Leger runner-up Key Change (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}).

Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
PRIX DE L'OPERA LONGINES-G1, €500,000, ParisLongchamp, 10-3, 3yo/up, f/m, 10fT, 2:11.15, hy.
1–ROUGIR (FR), 123, f, 3, by Territories (Ire)
1st Dam: Summer Moon (Fr) (SP-Fr), by Elusive City
2nd Dam: Kalatuna (Fr), by Green Tune
3rd Dam: Kalasinger (Fr), by Chief Singer (Ire)
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (€11,000 Wlg '18 ARQDEC; €55,000 Ylg '19 ARAUG). O-Le Haras de la Gousserie; B-Jan Krauze (FR); T-Cedric Rossi; J-Maxime Guyon. €285,700. Lifetime Record: G1SP-Fr, 13-4-1-3, €457,640. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Grand Glory (GB), 128, m, 5, Olympic Glory (Ire)–Madonna Lily (Ire), by Daylami (Ire). (€18,000 Ylg '17 AROCT). O-Albert Frassetto, John d'Amato & Mike Pietrangelo; B-Elevage Haras de Bourgeauville (GB); T-Gianluca Bietolini. €114,300.
3–Eudaimonia (Fr), 128, m, 6, Vision d'Etat (Fr)–Elenya (Ire), by Lawman (Fr). (€14,000 Ylg '16 BBAGS). O-Mrs Rebecca Philipps; B-Ecurie M Tschopp & Haras de Grandcamp EARL (FR); T-Edouard Monfort. €57,150.
Margins: NO, 1 1/4, NK. Odds: 22.90, 6.20, 49.00.
Also Ran: Audarya (Fr), Thundering Nights (Ire), Zeyaadah (Ire), Sibila Spain (Ire), Incarville (Fr), Ambition (GB), Joan of Arc (Ire), Palmas (Ger), Burgarita (GB), Ikat (Jpn), Babylone (Fr). Scratched: Penja (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

The post Territories’ Rougir Takes The Opera On The Line appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Shock In The Arc As Torquator Tasso Prevails

It may have been the 100th edition, but ParisLongchamp's G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe proved again on Sunday it is no respecter of established tradition by throwing a curveball in the shape of the 72-1 winner Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}). Despite coming here off a victory in the G1 Grosser Preis von Baden, there was always going to be extra inflation in his starting price as a German raider from the small stable of Marcel Weiss with a relative unknown on his back in Rene Piechulek and he escaped much attention in the build-up as a result. What Gestut Auenquelle's bay did have in his make-up was the ability to sluice through the holding, deep surface prevalent after the abundant rainfall and that proved key as he overcame fellow closers Tarnawa (Ire) (Shamardal) and Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in the final 50 metres to score by 3/4 of a length in this “Win and You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar in November. Tarnawa shaded the photo for second by a short head from Hurricane Lane, with the long-time leader Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) fading to fourth, three lengths away.

“It's very, very difficult to understand I've won this race,” Weiss said in the aftermath of one of the race's great shocks. “He has produced some very good performances and is a dual group 1 winner and even though I thought this was the strongest Arc of the last few years, we thought he deserved to run. We would have considered it a success if he had finished third, fourth, fifth or sixth. That he has won is a bonus. You can't really go higher than the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe–I've dreamt about it and now I've won it. It's absolutely unreal.”

Winding back to July 2020, Torquator Tasso sprung to prominence when coming off 3/4 of a length worse in a tussle with fellow son of Adlerflug In Swoop (Ire) as the runner-up in Hamburg's G1 Deutsches Derby. While that winner went on to run second in the G1 Grand Prix de Paris and get within a neck of taking this ultimate prize, Torquator Tasso stayed in Germany to finish third to Barney Roy (GB) (Excelebration {Ire}) in the G1 Grosser Preis von Baden, win the G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin at Hoppegarten and finish runner-up in Munich's G1 Grosser Preis Von Bayern. Only sixth on his return in the G2 Grosser Preis der Badischen Wirtschaft over 11 furlongs at Mulheim June 6, he rebounded with a 4 1/2-length success in the G2 Grosser Hansa-Preis der Baum Unternehmensgruppe at Hamburg July 3 before finishing second-best to Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}) defending his crown in the Grosser Preis von Berlin Aug. 8.

Heading back to the Grosser Preis von Baden Sept. 5, Torquator Tasso overcame the threat of this year's G1 Deutsches Derby hero Sisfahan (Fr) (Isfahan {Ger}) and although his odds here were no reflection of his genuine prospects, he did have several pounds of improvement to find with the main principals. Following Adayar from the break, he was soon left exposed on the wing with only Chrono Genesis (Jpn) (Bago {Fr}) wider out as Oisin Murphy took the “Golden Horn” route. Tracking the moderate pace in mid-division with the eventual second and third on his inner, he sauntered though the contest before being asked to step it up heading out of the back straight.

Hurricane Lane was bustled along there by James Doyle as he tried to build momentum for the pursuit of his stablemate, while Tarnawa was kept towards the inner by Christophe Soumillon and for a few seconds it seemed that Adayar could already be gone on the lead. What appeared to be another exhibition of “endless power”, as William Buick described it after the King George, was by the furlong pole becoming a painful slog for the Godolphin first string and the finishers were now well within range.

Torquator Tasso had weaved around at the top of the straight, but no sooner had he been given a left-hander by Piechulek at the furlong marker than he picked up steam and was thrusting with the whip only waved once from there. As Tarnawa and Hurricane Lane swallowed up the sinking Adayar on the fresh strip of ground towards the fence, the German challenger was doing slightly the better of the trio and in the end there seemed a degree of comfort in the outcome. Bought at the BBAG October Yearling Sale for €24,000, the winner had towered over some of the most expensive bloodstock in the world at the moment of truth with no hint of fluke.

Piechulek said after the thrill of a lifetime which has evaded some of the best in the business in the past, “I think it will be only tomorrow that I realise what it really means to win this race. When I got out of the stalls there wasn't a lot of pace. I tried to get as close to the leading horses as possible. I wanted to be in position, when we got into the final straight, to really launch my horse because he really quickens and gets faster the longer the straight is. I know the horse and am thankful the owner trusted me to ride him, even though I had never ridden in the Arc before.”

Weiss, who was assistant to Jens Hershberger before taking up his licence at the start of 2020, is based near Mulheim where he holds the position of private trainer for Gestut Auenquelle. “That was beautiful,” he said. “He's a very nice horse, he's all heart and is a very strong horse. Rene is a very cool jockey, very cool. It was his first ride in the race. It's very hard to digest and put into words how I feel, but our plan was hatched last winter. I felt he deserved to go for it and my hopes rose when the ground came in our favour. We planned to chase the leading horses and launch our challenge wide into the straight. It's a long straight and we knew he would finish strongly. I had 20 years as an assistant before taking the reins two years ago and I'm so pleased the owner turned down an offer for the horse. He could go to Japan, but let's get him back and see how he is in the next week or so.”

Karl-Dieter Ellerbracke, owner of Gestut Auenquelle, could not be in Paris but was equally overwhelmed with emotion. “We can hardly believe what has happened, we are so happy,” he said. “It had always been the plan to have a tilt at the Arc this year and we carefully planned his season for this race, building him up gradually which has now more than worked out. It is amazing. We will have to make new plans regarding next year, but I would very much like to stand him here as a stallion in Gestut Auenquelle.”

Dermot Weld said of Tarnawa, “It is frustrating to be beaten by so little. I was very happy with her, everything was perfect coming into the race but the ground made the difference today. It is gluey and she can't quicken as she usually does. We'll discuss her future now, but the Breeders' Cup is a possibility.”

Charlie Appleby said of his duo, who look set to stay in training at four, “We knew there wasn't going to be an end-to-end gallop due to the conditions and unfortunately there was no pace and William had to make a decision to go the front and let Adayar prick his ears. To be fair, he did that and got into a rhythm but William did say he didn't like the ground and was going into it rather than going through it. I always thought that this was a horse who wanted a trip, so I got that wrong but it was another brave performance by the horse and he showed his class there. On decent ground next year, over 10 furlongs and a mile and a half he's going to be dominating.”

“Credit to Hurricane Lane, who unfortunately got shuffled back and with the lack of pace that wasn't ideal for a horse who we knew was going to see the trip out well,” Appleby said of the third. “When he did get out, it looked at one stage that he was going to produce a run that was potentially going to win an Arc but full credit to the winner. We knew it was going to be a gruelling race at the finish and that's what it was. They are two 3-year-old colts who have done the team proud and have lost nothing in defeat. I hope they will stay in training, but I need to discuss it with His Highness. They have plenty of scope and I always said that whatever they did this year they'd be better next year. It sounds mad when they've both won a Classic and won multiple group 1s, but I genuinely think they could progress at four.”

Following Star Appeal (Ire) in 1975 and Danedream (Ger) (Lomitas {GB}) in 2011, Torquator Tasso becomes the nation's third Arc hero and also the third from this leading German dam line. Making the early demise of Adlerflug all the more keenly felt as a result, he is the second foal out of Tijuana (Ger) (Toylsome {GB}) who is a half-sister to three black-type performers including the G2 Diana-Trial winner Tusked Wings (Ire) also by Adlerflug and Titurel (Ger) (Dr Fong) who was third in this track's G2 Prix Maurice de Nieuil.

The third dam is the Listed Prix Occitanie runner-up Turbaine (Trempolino), a half-sister to the 1993 heroine of this prize and stellar producer Urban Sea (Miswaki) who produced three black-type winners headed by the leading German sire Tertullian also by Miswaki. Torquator Tasso is therefore linked to the G1 Epsom Derby-winning pair of Galileo (Ire) and Sea the Stars (Ire), with the latter emulating his dam in taking the Arc in one of the great renewals in 2009. The fourth dam is the legendary blue hen Allegretta (GB) (Lombard {GB}), in turn a full-sister to Adlerflug's second dam Alya (Ger). Tijuana also has the 2-year-old colt Tunnes (Ger) (Guiliani {Ire}), a yearling full-sister to Torquator Tasso named Tiara Hilleshage (Ger) and a colt foal again by Adlerflug.

Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
QATAR PRIX DE L'ARC DE TRIOMPHE-G1, €5,000,000, ParisLongchamp, 10-3, 3yo/up, c/f/m, 12fT, 2:37.62, hy.
1–TORQUATOR TASSO (GER), 131, c, 4, by Adlerflug (Ger)
1st Dam: Tijuana (Ger), by Toylsome (GB)
2nd Dam: Tucana (Ger), by Acatenango (Ger)
3rd Dam: Turbaine, by Trempolino
(€24,000 Ylg '18 BBAGO). O-Gestut Auenquelle; B-Paul H Vandeberg (GER); T-Marcel Weiss; J-Rene Piechulek. €2,857,000. Lifetime Record: MG1SW-Ger, 11-5-3-1, €3,248,800. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Tarnawa (Ire), 128, m, 5, Shamardal–Tarana (Ire), by Cape Cross (Ire). O-H H Aga Khan; B-His Highness The Aga Khan's Studs SC (IRE); T-Dermot Weld. €1,143,000.
3–Hurricane Lane (Ire), 125, c, 3, Frankel (GB)–Gale Force (GB), by Shirocco (Ger). (200,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Godolphin; B-Normandie Stud Ltd (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. €571,500.
Margins: 3/4, SHD, 3. Odds: 72.00, 4.00, 3.00.
Also Ran: Adayar (Ire), Sealiway (Fr), Snowfall (Jpn), Chrono Genesis (Jpn), Bubble Gift (Fr), Alenquer (Fr), Mojo Star (Ire), Broome (Ire), Raabihah, Baby Rider (Fr), Deep Bond (Jpn). Scratched: Love (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

The post Shock In The Arc As Torquator Tasso Prevails appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post