The G1 St Mark's Basilica Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary will be run two weeks earlier on Sunday, May 14, in an effort to increase its exposure and maintain its Group 1 status, France-Galop revealed on Thursday.
The scheduling update was originally disclosed when 25 black-type races were cut by the European Pattern Committee on Wednesday, but it has now been announced that the race is under scrutiny to be downgraded by the EPC in 2024 if its field quality does not improve. A rating of 110 is required to maintain its Group 1 status, but the past three renewals have averaged just 108.9. France Galop's reasons for moving the date are as follows:
By running it five weeks before the G1 Prix de Diane Longines, it reinforces its ambition to become a major prep race for the fillies' Classic.
It will gain more exposure by being included on a card that already features two Classic races, the G1 French 1000 and G1 French 2000 Guineas.
The two extra weeks between the Prix Saint-Alary and the June 18 Prix de Diane at Chantilly will allow it to become a major prep race for the fillies' Classic and hence secure the rating of the Saint-Alary, whose Group 1 status is currently under threat.
In 2016 and 2017, the Saint-Alary was held at Deauville on the Poules d'Essai card when ParisLongchamp was being renovated, and both editions met the 110 minimum rating–111.3 in 2016 and 111 a year later. Trial races for the newly scheduled race include the 1800-metre G3 Prix Vanteaux at ParisLongchamp on Apr. 9, and two races at Saint-Cloud in April–the G3 Prix Penelope over 2100 metres on Apr. 1 and the G3 Prix Cleopatre going that same trip on Apr. 21.
Thursday's card at Chantilly witnessed Europe's first TDN Rising Star of 2023 as Ballymore Thoroughbred Ltd's Pensee Du Jour (Ire) (Camelot {GB}–Painter's Pride {Fr}, by Dansili {GB}) powered to an impressive success in the 9 1/2-furlong Prix du Chateau de la Reine Blanche for unraced 3-year-old fillies. Away smartly under Alexis Pouchin, the 1-2 favourite who is a half-sister to the G3 Mahab Al Shimaal winner and G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen third Canvassed (Ire) (Shamardal) and who hails from the Wildenstein dynasty of the champion Peintre Celebre was in front before two furlongs had been covered.
Stretching clear in early straight, the Andre Fabre-trained bay was already being eased down a furlong from the finish and was four lengths ahead of the Fabrice Chappet newcomer Crown Princesse (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) there, with another three lengths back to Hasapiko (Fr) (Cloth Of Stars {Ire}) from the Stephane Wattel stable. With no prompting from the saddle during the closing stages, Pensee Du Jour still covered the last three furlongs on the Polytrack in 34.64 seconds and her entries in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Prix Saint-Alary do not look fanciful on this first piece of evidence.
For Camelot, this is a seventh TDN Rising Star, with Sir Dragonet (Ire) and Santa Barbara (Ire) the pick so far. The dam was the 13th foal out of the GII Long Island H. winner Peinture Bleue (Alydar), who proved such a font of success for the Wildensteins with the aforementioned Arc and Prix du Jockey Club hero Peintre Celebre the pick of her offerings. She also provided the stud with the G2 Prix de Pomone scorer Peinture Rare (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), the G3 Prix de Barbeville winner Pointilliste (Giant's Causeway) and the listed scorer Peinture Rose (Storm Cat).
Peinture Bleue's winless daughter Pine Chip, a full-sister to Peintre Celebre, is the ancestress of the South African champion Jet Dark (SAf) (Trippi), while other descendants include the G3 JRA Cup winner Desert Icon (Fr) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and the GIII Fall Highweight H. scorer Hopeful Treasure (Oxbow). The third dam is Petroleuse (Ire), who was successful in the G3 Princess Elizabeth S. and is kin to the champion Pawneese (Ire) and ancestress of the sires Policy Maker (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), Planteur (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and Persian King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}.
3rd-Chantilly, €27,000, Debutantes, 2-16, 3yo, f, 9 1/2f (AWT), 1:56.88, st. PENSEE DU JOUR (IRE), f, 3, by Camelot (GB) 1st Dam: Painter's Pride (Fr), by Dansili (GB) 2nd Dam: Peinture Bleue, by Alydar 3rd Dam: Petroleuse (Ire), by Habitat
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, €13,500. O-Ballymore Thoroughbred Ltd; B-Dayton Investments Ltd (IRE); T-Andre Fabre. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.
The stakes-producer Rasmiya (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), in foal to Tally-Ho Stud's Mehmas (Ire), topped the second and final session of the Arqana February Mixed Sale on Thursday.
Offered by the sale's top vendor Haras de Bouquetot, lot 308 made €315,000 from the sale's leading buyer, BBA Ireland. Already the dam of the French listed winner Jouza (Ire) (Toronado {Ire}), the 10-year-old is a half-sister to group winners Above Average (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) and Sent From Heaven (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), as well as the listed winner Freyja (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) and a full-sibling to the G3 Bart Cummings H. second Granddukeoftuscany (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).
“She's a very nice mare,” said BBA Ireland's Michael Donohoe, who was buying in tandem with fellow BBA Ireland agent Eamon Reilly. “She'll first go to Ireland have her foal, and then we'll decide afterwards which stallion she'll be covered by. She's been bought for one of our clients.”
The leading buyer with nine acquired for €743,000 over two days of selling, BBA Ireland also signed for lot 249, Zerziyna (Fr) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), at €200,000. Part of the Aga Khan Stud's draft, the unraced 4-year-old filly is a granddaughter of G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Zarkava (Ire) (Zamindar).
Reilly said, “We've bought her for an Irish client. We're very happy–she's a lovely filly from a great family. She'll be covered by Lucky Vega {Ire}).”
Rounding out the top three was a colt (lot 264) from the first crop of Persian King (Ire), who sold to Hamish Macauley Bloodstock for €105,000. Hailing from the consignment of Camille and Guillaume Vitse's Normandie Breeding, the bay is a half-brother to G3 Prix Texanita heroine Alistair (Fr) (Panis). Group 1 winners Goldmark (Lyphard), Gabina (Caro {Ire}) and Galetto (Fr) (Caro {Ire}) are part of the extended family.
“He's a lovely colt and very athletic,” said Reilly. “He'll go to Tally-Ho Stud, with the objective to give him a bit of time before putting him through the sales again later.”
Wednesday's stats were similar to the 2022 edition, with 128 sold from 159 offered (80.5%) for a gross of €1,981,000. The average rose 3.3% to €15,477, but the median ticked down marginally to €5,500 (-1.5%).
From a smaller overall catalogue that offered 68 fewer horses, the clearance rate was essentially unchanged at 80% for 245 sold of 307 through the ring. The gross was €3,806,000, while the average and median improved by 15.3% (€15,535), and 8.3% (€6,500), respectively.
There is no denying that the stallion market is becoming increasingly difficult with appetites for stud prospects growing. There is also no questioning that the support a young stallion receives in their first few years is paramount to their success. Most stallions are an easy sell in their first year with many being oversubscribed and then numbers falling off in the years leading up to that first crop hitting the track. However, one stallion whose numbers and support could very likely stay consistent throughout those primitive years is Lope Y Fernandez (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), given the number of influential breeders that are involved in his ownership.
Although standing at The National Stud in England, Lope Y Fernandez is owned by Whitsbury Manor Stud, Nick Bradley and the Newmarket-based operation as well as Coolmore, for whom the horse raced, retaining an interest. It may seem a slightly unusual set up given that Whitsbury Manor Stud have a successful stallion operation themselves, but as Ed Harper explains, when the right prospect presents itself you cannot let it pass you by.
“We really weren't planning on buying a new stallion last year,” said Harper. “We were having a busy year at Whitsbury and we wanted to give Sergei Prokofiev another year in the limelight. But when I went and saw Lope Y Fernandez, I just thought, 'this is a horse we need to get involved with.'”
At a similar time, Bradley, who is best known for his successful racing syndicate, was seeing a worrying trend in the British stallion ranks.
“The year prior to Lope Y Fernandez being available, I was noticing a post-Brexit trend that all of these top racehorses were going to stand, primarily, in Ireland,” noted Bradley. “I spoke to a lot of UK breeders and I said, 'Come on, we need to get ourselves organized here.' And Ed Harper was listening.”
Once it became apparent that the Group 1-placed son of Lope de Vega was available to buy the wheels were set in motion.
“I got talking with The National Stud and Nick Bradley and thought, 'you know, can we put a group together,'” explained Harper. “So we are the major shareholder, the National Stud owns 25% and Nick Bradley owns a nice portion as well, with Coolmore staying in too.”
From The National Stud's perspective this structure seems a no brainer with Joe Bradley citing, “We're stronger together,” when asked about being involved. “To incorporate really prominent breeders such as Whitsbury Manor, who have had the most unbelievable year, and Nick Bradley to really support the stallion means he will have every chance.”
In the last few weeks, we have seen several foals by the stallion on social media platforms and it appears that Lope Y Fernandez is passing on his good looks.
“One of his best qualities is the way he walks,” said Joe Bradley. “He's such an athletic horse. He stands over 16hh and physically he's just a very imposing horse.”
Of the first few that have hit the ground Nick Bradley has a number that have had his team “waxing lyrical,” with one colt in particular having “a great shoulder, great hip and a great action to go with it.”
Aside from the mares that will be sent to Lope Y Fernandez by his owners as well as the wider breeding population, it may not be surprising to hear that all the operators are already looking ahead to the foal and yearling sales.
“We're probably going to send in more mares this year, his second season,” said Harper. “I think we've got 25 on the list to send him this season and we'll be buying foals as well the in the ring.
All three entities were busy at the recent Tattersalls February Sale buying mares to send to Lope Y Fernandez, but Bradley is thinking further down the line.
“I'll be out there trying to buy the best fillies for Nick Bradley Racing,” said Bradley. “Last year, we had seven stakes winners, so if a couple of them could be by Lope Y Fernandez in years to come, that'd be great.”
This unique situation is not lost on those involved with it as Harper points out, “I've never been involved in a stallion that's not just had the supply side of the mares helping him, but actually the demand side buying the progeny as well, which is fairly unique for a commercially priced horse.”
As the old sayings go, there is strength in numbers and teamwork makes the dream work. For Lope Y Fernandez both sayings seem to be meeting each other in the middle. As the breeding season rolls on, it is not inconceivable to expect Lope Y Fernandez's foals to stand out during a social media scroll or to imagine his second and future books being just as large as his first.
