Tag: Shared News Europe

“This Is The Hundred-Year Anniversary” – Pensee Du Jour A Significant Winner

The Prix de Diane is the main aim for Thursday's impressive Saint-Cloud winner Pensee Du Jour (Ire), according to Anthony Stroud, who manages the interests of the Camelot (GB) filly's owners, Ballymore Thoroughbreds. 

Carrying the silks of owner-breeder Diane Wildenstein, Pensee Du Jour made all of the running to win the Rose De Mai S. by seven lengths, with Stroud explaining the significance of the victory shortly afterwards. 

He said of the 'TDN Rising Star', “Funnily enough, they [the Wildenstein family] started out in racing back in 1923 so this is the hundred-year anniversary-it's a very significant year.”

The significance does not end there. Pensee Du Jour hails from a deep family that has been nurtured for generations by the Wildensteins. The homebred is from the family of the outstanding Peintre Celebre, who carried Daniel Wildenstein's colours to a host of big-race successes, including victory in the 1997 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. 

Group 1 targets now await Pensee Du Jour, who made it two wins from as many outings on Thursday, and will warm up for a tilt at the Prix de Diane by running in the G3 Prix Penelope back at Saint-Cloud next month. 

Stroud said, “She is potentially very good–a nice filly. Hopefully, depending on how she comes out of this race, she will run in the G3 Prix Penelope in three weeks. The ultimate aim is the Prix de Diane.”

Asked why Pensee Du Jour did not run as a 2-year-old, he replied, “She is a big filly and was a bit backward last year. As well as that, the ground was quite hard last summer, so we just took our time with her. 

“She couldn't have won any easier today–we just wish the races were a bit faster for her and that there was more pace in the race. Otherwise, she wouldn't have to make her own running.”

Diane Wildenstein was in attendance at Saint-Cloud to witness Pensee Du Jour make light work of her rivals and confirm herself a top-notch prospect.

Stroud continued, “The filly hasn't done it yet, she still has to go and do it, but everyone works so hard–the people at the stud and in the racing stables–to produce good racehorses. “Everyone who is into breeding and racing racehorses, that's what their aim is, and that's what we are in this game to do.”

He added, “It's a combination of an awful lot of hard work from an awful amount of people. She couldn't have done more than she's done and we'll find out a bit more on the next step.”

 

 

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Dubawi’s The Revenant Registers Listed Prix Altipan Hat-Trick

Al Asayl France's homebred 2020 G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. hero The Revenant (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}–Hazel Lavery {Ire}, by Excellent Art {GB}), returning off an Oct. 15 seventh when making his fourth start in the Ascot benchmark last time, registered a hat-trick in Saint-Cloud's Listed Prix Altipan with a comfortable win in Thursday's latest edition of the one-mile test. It was the 8-year-old gelding's sixth success in eight outings over the track's course and distance. Settling into a smooth rhythm racing at the tail of the eight-runner field into the straight, the 3-5 favourite made relentless progress saving ground along the far-side rail to launch his challenge with 300 metres remaining and was pushed out to defeat Anthorus (Fr) (Territories {Ire}) by 1 1/4 lengths in snug fashion.

“He is such a special horse for us and by winning this race for the third time shows us that he can still compete at a high level at the age of eight,” commented Francis Graffard. “That's what I wanted to find out with this first start, to see if he still possessed his fighting spirit, because he had a hard race last time out at Ascot. The race unfolded perfectly for him. He settled into a great rhythm, it was a ground-saving trip on the inside and he idled once in front because he knows the job. I didn't work him too hard at home and he will come on for the run. The program is straightforward and it should be the [G3 Prix] Edmond Blanc and then the [G2 Prix du] Muguet. However, he will not run if the going is not soft enough. He needs that ground, more than ever, and didn't really get it last year.”

The Revenant, a half-brother to the hitherto untried 3-year-old filly Andraste (GB) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}), is the second of five foals and lone winner produced by G3 St Simon S. victrix Hazel Lavery (Ire) (Excellent Art {GB}), herself a half-sister to MGSP Czech champion Leo Gali (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). The April-foaled chestnut's third dam Rapid Repeat (Ire) (Exactly Sharp) is kin to four black-type performers headed by G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial-winning sire Artema (Ire) (Common Grounds {GB}).

Thursday, Saint-Cloud, France
PRIX ALTIPAN-Listed, €52,000, Saint-Cloud, 3-9, 4yo/up, 8fT, 1:45.53, vsf.
1–THE REVENANT (GB), 126, g, 8, Dubawi (Ire)–Hazel Lavery (Ire) (GSW-Eng, $246,630), by Excellent Art (GB).
O-Al Asayl France; B-Al Asayl Bloodstock Ltd (GB); T-Francis-Henri Graffard; J-Tony Piccone. €26,000. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng, MGSW & G1SP-Fr, GSW-Ger, 23-13-4-3, €1,371,520.
2–Anthorus (Fr), 126, c, 4, Territories (Ire)–Anna Platini (GB), by Dubawi (Ire). O/T-Henri-Alex Pantall; B-Henri-Alex Pantall & Mme Yvette Pantall (FR). €10,400. €10,400.
3–Titanium (Fr), 126, g, 4, Zarak (Fr)–Kyurem (Ire), by Verglas (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE. (€50,000 Ylg '20 ARQSEP). O-Ecurie 4L, Comte Guillaume de Saint-Seine, Alessandro Botti, Giuseppe Botti, Ecurie Vitale, Scuderia Visconti di Modrone & Giovanni Neri; B-Haras de la Perelle (FR); T-Alessandro & Giuseppe Botti. €7,800.
Margins: 1 1/4, 1 1/4, HF. Odds: 0.60, 8.30, 10.00.
Also Ran: Bennetot (Ire), Monarchic (Ire), Best Lightning (Fr), Siam Paragon (Fr), Jacinda (GB). Scratched: Loliwood (Fr). Video, sponsored by TVG.

 

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Letters to the Editor: The St Leger

A selection of correspondence in response to Emma Berry's Op/Ed 'Long May The Leger Run':

I read your article about the St Leger in the TDN with interest and I agree totally that it would be a great loss to British racing to see the Leger distance changed. When I started training I had horses for Lord Weinstock and Dick Hollingsworth, who only bred middle-distance horses, and I really enjoyed being able to allow their horses the time to develop and mature; they also improved significantly from two to three, so if they showed any real ability at two they were going to be useful at three. 

I remember, in the early days, having two two-year-olds for Dick Hollingsworth and not ringing him for ages, as I didn't know what to say. April came and I rang him one Sunday to say I was pleased with them and they were coming along nicely, to which he replied, “How on earth do you know? I hope you haven't done any work with them.” 

He went on to say that there was no point ringing him before July, as his two-year-olds shouldn't be doing anything before then. Not many owners would say that to you these days!

I love the St. Leger, not only as a test of stamina but as a test of a horse's bravery–they have to be tough to win it. It produces horses that go on and mature, having longevity, which is great for the sport and audience participation.

Best wishes,

Neil Graham
(Trainer of the 1988 St Leger winner Minster Son, now director of racing at Chelmsford City Racecourse)

 

Shortening Classic races, doping, railing against HISA, the US (more than any other nation, in my opinion) clinging to the ridiculous notion that fillies/mares can't compete with colts/geldings simply based on their gender–so many things sadden me in regards to racing these days.  

I don't want any races shortened.  If anything, I'd like to see some lengthened. This is especially pertinent in the US where many 'Classic' filly and mare races are shorter even than their male counterparts. I'd love to see both the Kentucky Oaks and Breeders' Cup Distaff (just to name two) go back to being 1 1/4 races.

One of the brightest spots (again, in my opinion) is Japan. They keep showing the rest of the world what proper breeding and care can produce–and all drug free. They keep my faith and hope alive.

For me, the biggest light is the horse.  Watching these beauties run (especially in the longer races) is what hooked me on the sport and keeps me coming back for more.

Jean B.

 

I read with interest your article of 8th March published in TDN.

This brought back memories because the question of the St Leger distance, and also if it should be open to older horses, was a much discussed question late 1970s and early 80s. In recent years I had just accepted the race as a NH stallion maker. Interestingly, I once read Tony Morris suggesting his love of thoroughbred breeding may not have developed if this had been the case in his earlier years.

I was always horrified by any thoughts of lowering the distance of the St Leger. However, I was never certain my argument was based on anything but being a traditionalist.  Although Peter Willett's argument is sound from a British breeding perspective, the move from the perception I had had in the 1970s that Australian racing was stamina laden to the current sprint-dominated racing and breeding seems to have worked in extreme and ultimately to, what Australians would consider, the detriment of their more prestigious races.

The other point of interest in your article was why a picture of The Minstrel should be on the copy of a June 1980 copy of Pacemaker. The indexing of my literature clearly works better than I thought and note it was a Richard Stone Reeves painting. Incidentally, on the changing face of racing, note the advert for Moyglare Stud selling a draft of yearlings at Keeneland (and they also sold in Europe as I recall).

Kind Regards,

Neville Sibley

EB replies: Yes, indeed, The Minstrel portrait was in regard to the publication of 'Decade of Champions' by Richard Stone Reeves and Patrick Robinson, a really special book.

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Golden Sixty The Golden Child Of The Longines WBRR

Dual Hong Kong Horse of the Year Golden Sixty (Aus) (Medaglia d'Oro) has been given a mark of 125 to top the latest version of the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings.

The gelding ran out a one-length winner of the G1 Stewards' Cup, defeating Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) (123), with California Spangle (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) (122) in third. Golden Sixty then padded his record with a head tally over Romantic Warrior in the G1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup.

GI Pegasus World Cup hero Art Collector (Bernardini) has been ranked at 121, equal to G3 Neom Turf Cup hero Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). Four horses share a mark of 120 including Elite Power (Curlin), who won the G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint; Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}), successful in the G1 Saudi Cup defeating Country Grammer (Tonalist) (119), Café Pharoah (American Pharoah) (118) and Geoglyph (Jpn) (Drefong) (118); crack Australian sprinter Anamoe (Aus) (Street Boss) (120), and Do Deuce (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) (120).

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