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TDN Rising Star Ramatuelle Pulverises Prix du Bois Rivals

Breaking the juvenile track record at Chantilly on Sunday, Christopher Head trainee Ramatuelle (Justify–Raven's Lady {GB}, by Raven's Pass) justified 6-4 favouritism in the G3 Prix du Bois Longines by dominating her nine rivals with a spectacular display in the six-furlong contest.

The eventual winner was positioned in a handy second as market rival Zorken (Fr) (Goken {Fr}) set the tone up front. Inching into second at halfway, she quickened to the fore entering the final furlong and powered clear in highly impressive fashion to easily outclass her rivals by five lengths and more. Zorken kept on well to finish second, 1 3/4 lengths ahead of 'TDN Rising Star' Les Pavots (Ire) (No Nay Never) in third. Ramatuelle became sire Justify's fifth 'TDN Rising Star' when delivering a taking display in her Apr. 11 unveiling over five furlongs at this venue, but was narrowly denied by fellow 'TDN Rising Star' Beauvatier (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) when returning in a May 28 six-furlong conditions heat at Saint-Cloud in her only other start. Ramatuelle's time of 1:08.05 eclipsed the prior best of 1:08.31 set by Blackbeard (Ire) (No Nay Never) in last year's G2 Prix Robert Papin.

“We have some great partners, we're creating some great relationships and we feel very blessed,” commented part-owner and NBA All-Star Tony Parker. “We had a great experience with [G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner] Mangoustine last year and here we are winning another big race. It's unbelievable. It's all you can ask, to have a horse that allows you to dream, and we are really excited after this win. There was no panic and we weren't disheartened by her defeat last time and, hopefully, she recuperates well and is ready to go for her next target. [Trainer] Christopher [Head] told me in February her programme will include the [G2] Prix Robert Papin and the [G1] Prix Morny and maybe we can now go for those big races.” Head added, “The plan is going exactly as we wished, so we will do our best to take her to the Papin now.”

Pedigree Notes
Ramatuelle, full to a weanling colt and half to a yearling filly by Uncle Mo, is the first of three foals produced by G2 Goldene Peitsche and G3 Summer S. victrix Raven's Lady (GB) (Raven's Pass), herself out of an unraced half to G1 Prix d'Ispahan-winning sire Best Of The Bests (Ire) (Machiavellian), G2 Dante S. third Dunhill Star (Ire) (Danehill) and the dam of MGSW G1 Melbourne Cup runner-up Prince Of Arran (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}). The February-foaled chestnut's third dam, G3 Fred Darling S. winner Sueboog (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}), is a half-sister to the dam of GSW G1 Grand Prix de Paris and G1 Prix Jean Prat runner-up Shaanmer (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}) and stakes-winning GI Garden City Breeders' Cup H. second Nordican Inch (GB) (Inchinor {GB}).

Sunday, Chantilly, France
PRIX DU BOIS LONGINES – FONDS EUROPEEN DE L'ELEVAGE-G3, €80,000, Chantilly, 6-18, 2yo, 6fT, 1:08.05 (NTR), g/s.
1–RAMATUELLE, 122, f, 2, by Justify
1st Dam: Raven's Lady (GB) (GSW-Eng & Ger, $238,499), by Raven's Pass
2nd Dam: Pivotal Lady (GB), by Pivotal (GB)
3rd Dam: Sueboog (Ire), by Darshaan (GB)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€100,000 Ylg '22 ARQAUG). O-Infinity Nine Horses, Arthur Hoyeau, Ecurie des Monceaux, Hollymount Stud France SC, Mme Ilse Smits & Clement Tropres; B-Yeguada Centurion SLU (KY); T-Christopher Head; J-Aurelien Lemaitre. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, €81,800. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Zorken (Fr), 126, c, 2, Goken (Fr)–Zorra Chope (Fr). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€6,500 Wlg '21 ARQDEC; €3,500 Ylg '22 ARQOCT). O-Ecurie Jean-Louis Bouchard & Bruno de Montzey; B-Werner Neumann (FR); T-Bruno de Montzey. €16,000.
3–Les Pavots (Ire), 122, f, 2, No Nay Never–Sparrow (Ire), by Oasis Dream (GB). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Craig Bernick & Haras d'Etreham; B-Coolmore Stud (IRE); T-Francis-Henri Graffard. €12,000.
Margins: 5, 1 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 1.50, 2.80, 4.80.
Also Ran: Balon D'Or (GB), Antifona (Fr), Dubai Hills (GB), Dance Sioux (Ire), Gotta Skedaddle (Ire), Ziggy's Dream (Ire), Royal Mylea (Ire). Video, sponsored by TVG.

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‘Seeing Familiar Things Entirely Afresh’: The Work of John Reardon On Show in London

If you are in London over the coming weeks with a few hours to spare, that time would be well spent by taking a trip to a retrospective exhibition of the work of John Reardon, entitled (After) Whistlejacket, at the MMX Gallery.

Reardon, who died in 2018, was a revered photographer and picture editor of the Observer, but this exhibition covers some of the work undertaken in the later years of his life when commissioned by his former colleague Jocelyn Targett to photograph the Darley stallions.

This is stallion marketing reimagined. Reardon's collaboration on the project, which would last for 16 years, came at a time when the Darley operation was expanding globally, looking to make an impact across the Thoroughbred industry. That it did, through Reardon's use of medium-format cameras and monochrome, his images featuring in lavishly produced brochures and head-turning advertising, both in print and on the racecourse.

In an accompanying essay by Targett, he says of his old friend, whose work prior to the equine sphere ranged from war zones to celebrities, “Racehorses, and the people in their realm, turned out to be his ideal subjects. Reardon's eye found the elegance, power, and plaintive vulnerability of whatever settled before his camera, and the thoroughbred is abound with elegance, power and vulnerability.”

The exhibition, in New Cross in south-east London, runs until July 1.

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Sunday’s Observations: Quantanamera Returns at Hannover

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Sunday's Observations features the seasonal bow of Quantanamera (Ger), who will prep in the contest for Group company.

13.30 Hannover, Cond, €20,000, 3yo, 12fT
QUANTANAMERA (GER) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) has her seasonal bow in this Derby-Trial which formerly carried listed status and is quite a presence, having beaten this week's listed scorer Empore (Ger) (Oasis Dream {GB}) by 8 1/2 lengths when last seen in Baden-Baden's G3 Preis der Winterkonigin in October. Bred to appreciate middle distances, Jurgen Sartori's Andreas Suborics trainee is the sole filly against six colts as she bids to further her claims for both the July 2 G1 Deutsches Derby and Aug. 6 G1 Preis der Diana.

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Chantilly: Can Blue Rose Cen Pull Off A Classic Double?

Beaten only once since her debut and now the proud owner of two Group 1 titles including the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) goes into the unknown on Sunday as she bids to extend her tally in Chantilly's G1 Prix de Diane Longines. So assured at ParisLongchamp, where she also garnered the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc day, the G3 Prix d'Aumale in September and G3 Prix de la Grotte in April, Yeguada Centurion SL's prized homebred now has to conquer new territory and a new trip. There should be no fears as far as stamina is concerned, being by Churchill who stayed this far at three out of a GIII Santa Barbara S. winner in Queen Blossom (Ire) (Jeremy).

Blue Rose Cen is after something rare and special here. Only the French legend Allez France in 1973, Divine Proportions in 2005 and Zarkava (Ire) in 2008 have completed the Marcel Boussac-Poule d'Essai des Pouliches-Diane treble, so there is that extra pressure on Christophe Head who looks to land this Classic 10 years on from the last of his aunt Criquette's in Treve (Fr).

“I think she is in prime form,” he said. “I'm crossing my fingers that everything goes well in terms of the longer trip. She is really one of those brilliant kinds and has been very professional the whole time. I have the feeling we can do it again–it's going to be a very nice race and of course we will encounter new fillies, good fillies, but I can't wait. She has a great mentality, has been easy to train and has been working brilliantly.”

Ready Yourself

This is as deep a Diane as has been seen for some time, with the Gosdens' representative Running Lion (GB) (Roaring Lion) almost certainly up to this standard on the evidence of her electric performance in Newmarket's Listed Pretty Polly S., Ballymore Thoroughbred Ltd's TDN Rising Star Pensee Du Jour (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) looking so dominant in the early-season staging posts of the Listed Prix Rose de Mai and G3 Prix Penelope, Ballydoyle's Never Ending Story (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) moving up to a more suitable trip still giving off the vibe that she is a top-class filly in the making, and Al Shira'aa Farms's unbeaten G1 Prix Saint-Alary winner Jannah Rose (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) prompting such notable comments from the normally reticent Carlos Laffon-Parias.

Any Other Rose?

Jannah Rose may have fared best in the draw on Thursday, with her middle position in seven meaning Christophe Soumillon can make an early decision as to where best to position her throughout those all-important early stages. Three winners in the last nine years emerged from that stall and six of the last nine were drawn between six and nine and it is interesting to note that in the G3 Prix Vanteaux and Saint-Alary she was also drawn middle to wide. In the latter, she was produced to beat Elusive Princess (Fr) (Martinborough {Jpn}) by just 3/4 of a length, but the manner of her performance suggests there will be plenty more to come faced with sterner opposition.

Carlos Laffon-Parias, who is part of the Head family having married Christopher's cousin Patricia, is after his first renewal and said, “I have come close before, but time is passing and I must win it before things become more complicated! I remain confident I will eventually win it and I hope that day is close at hand.”

Bridging The Gap

Blue Rose Cen has been putting some notable fillies in their place for some time now, but this is a different test and different day for a couple who are looking to make it closer. Never Ending Story was beaten over five lengths by Christopher Head's pride and joy in the Marcel Boussac, but that was after a troubled trip on contrastingly deep ground when things hadn't yet fallen into place for her. In one way, her five-length fifth in the Pouliches was a surprising backward step having looked so dynamic when slamming the 1000 Guineas third Matilda Picotte (Ire) (Sioux Nation) in Leopardstown's Ballylinch Stud 1000 Guineas Trial in April, but there is a nagging sense that middle distances and summer ground will see her make a leap forward as it did for her dam Athena (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). Behind Blue Rose Cen in the Grotte and Pouliches, Everest Racing's Lindy (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) also has solid claims for being more competitive this time, but stall 13 is a major disadvantage and she will need all the luck from there.

Ryan Moore believes that his mount's story is far from over. “I don't think we saw the best of my filly at all when she was fifth in the French 1000 Guineas last time,” he said. “She didn't run badly, but she didn't fire and pick up as I was expecting as I thought she had a big shot at winning that race. However, I think she remains a Group 1 filly and I hope she can prove it over a trip that she is bred to get. She could just surprise some fillies with more obvious claims.”

Best Of The Rest

Chantilly's card also features the G3 Prix du Bois Longines, with the TDN Rising Star fillies Les Pavots (Ire) (No Nay Never) and Ramatuelle (Justify) taking on Ecurie Jean-Louis Bouchard and Bruno De Montzey's unbeaten colt Zorken (Fr) (Goken {Fr}) and the G3 Prix du Lys Longines, where Maniatic (Ire) (Intello {Ger}) and Don Diego De Vega (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) provide further evidence of the merits of Ace Impact (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}) having chased home that impressive G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero in this venue's Listed Prix de Suresnes last month.

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