French Trainer Jerome Reynier Has Cheveley Park Plan For Wootton City

French trainer Jerome Reynier is not afraid to travel his horses and is eyeing an audacious tilt at some of the top 2-year-old prizes for fillies in Britain with the progressive Wootton City (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}).

But first, Wootton City will line out in the G3 Prix de Cabourg at Deauville on Tuesday before Reynier can allow himself to dream about races like the G2 Lowther S. at York and the G1 Cheveley Park S. at Newmarket, both of which have been pencilled into the filly's diary. 

“Wootton City has done well for us and the plan is to run in the Prix de Cabourg on Tuesday before going for the Lowther S. at York. If she is good enough, she is aiming for the G1 Cheveley Park S. and the Lowther would be a good prep for that,” Reynier said.

He added, “We will keep options open with her but she will have to run well against the colts on Tuesday and then we will see how she is. I think she could be even better with a cut in the ground so hopefully she gets that at York in a few weeks' time.”

Reynier is one of the leading trainers in France, which is all the more meritorious considering he trains away from the major training centres in Marseille. He has sent out 65 winners this season and, as well as being on course to record his greatest tally of winners, he is set to eclipse his previous best prize-money haul. 

“You can place a horse really well over here and pick up enough prize-money so that the horses are paying for themselves,” Jerome Reynier, trainer.

Prize-money in France is far more lucrative than in Britain and Ireland, where some trainers have voiced concerns over the exodus of equine talent and the paltry pots that horses are running for. 

Mark Johnston, one of the most successful trainers in Britain and the dual Classic-winning handler Ger Lyons, told TDN Europe recently about their growing concerns for British and Irish racing

However, Reynier says that the excellent prize-money in France means owners have a realistic chance of making the game pay, meaning they don't need to be as trigger-happy about cashing in on their horses compared to Britain and Ireland. 

He explained, “Horses are able to make money in France through the prize-money that they earn, which is probably the only place in Europe where this can happen. Obviously, many people have different views but say someone like Mr Seroul [Reynier's biggest supporter], he has no interest in selling his best horses because he does not need the money and he's having a lot of fun with them. There have been big offers for Wootton City but he has turned them down because he really wants to keep her as a broodmare for the future. 

“Someone like him is not interested at all in private deals but obviously, for others, when the money is offered, it may make sense for them to cash in and reinvest the money elsewhere. “That's part of the game and we have to be open to offers. We're in the process of selling one horse to Japan right now, another to Australia and we are trying to sell another to America as well so you need to keep the ball rolling and keep every owner happy. We are really open-minded.”

He added, “The way our horses are campaigned, it's not like England or Ireland–we are not trying to win first time. We are not as offensive in the morning and, speaking for myself, we use races to build them up and like our horses to progress with every run. 

“We like building up our athletes the right way but, if you are a commercially-minded trainer who wants to sell them on, you are going to start doing some races in the morning to make sure you pick the best one to run on the track and you will want to be winning first time out to sell them on. It's a short-term perspective. 

“When you don't have the prize-money and the opposition is so high you don't have the luxury of waiting too long as you do in France. Yes, France is a really competitive place, but you can place a horse really well over here and pick up enough prize-money so that the horses are paying for themselves.”

There are countless examples of that, even at the lower levels. Reynier, a graduate of the esteemed Darley Flying Start course, has experienced racing all over the world but described the prize-money at the middle to lower tiers in France and the incentives involved for owners in his home country as being unique. 

“Look at a horse like Happy Harry (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}),” he explained. “We claimed him back in January and he has had 11 starts for us since then. He has won once and placed in all of his other starts and has amassed over €70,000. He is rated just 33, which is the equivalent of about 70 in Britain or Ireland, so it's huge money earned in handicap and maiden races for a horse of that level and in the space of just six months. It really shows that, if a horse is well-managed, you can earn a lot of money in France.”

He added, “Not only that, but every horse gets €3,000 per year towards their travel expenses and, if you aren't placed, you don't have to pay any travel expenses towards your trip. I had three runners at Le Touquet, which is probably the furthest track from my base in Marseille, on Friday and because I was unlucky and none of them placed, the owners did not have to pay anything towards their travel.”

Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}), owned by Jean-Claude Seroul, has been Reynier's main flag-bearer since he set up as a trainer. He became the trainer's first Group 1 winner when landing the Prix d'Ispahan at ParisLongchamp before adding another top-level triumph to his CV at Munich last season. 

While Skalleti hit a minor bump in the road after he picked up a minor injury in the G1 Prix Ganay, the 7-year-old  is reported to be on course to return in the autumn.

Speaking about Skalleti and the rest of his stable stars, the trainer said, “Skalleti has achieved a lot for us but he is a 7-year-old now and his best performances are probably behind him. 

“He had a little setback after the Prix Ganay but we should see him in the autumn on soft ground.”

Reynier added, “We have been very lucky to come across a horse like Facteur Cheval (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}) while Skalleti was out. He is unbeaten in all four of his starts and won his listed race at Chantilly earlier this month. He will go for a group race at Deauville on August 20 so, if he can be competitive in that, it would be amazing. 

“We also have Marianachic (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) who has won his last five starts. He's won two stakes races this year and we'll be aiming him at another.”

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Can Skalleti Do It All Over Again?

Now that Cheltenham's beloved festival has ended, the Flat picks up the thread seamlessly with an old favourite in the mold of some of the best-known jumps campaigners which have enriched this week's action in the Cotswolds.

Step forward Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}), Jean-Claude Seroul's veteran consumer of group contests who looks for back-to-back successes and an 11th Pattern race in Saturday's G3 Prix Exbury at Saint-Cloud. A repeat of his exploits when garnering ParisLongchamp's G1 Prix d'Ispahan and Munich's G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis last term should be enough if he is anywhere near a peak.

Joined by the fellow Jerome Reynier-trained G2 Gran Premio del Jockey Club winner Road To Arc (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}), the 7-year-old meets Bernard Giraudon's Pretty Tiger (Ire) (Sea the Moon {Ger}), who is unbeaten in two starts here including the G2 Prix Eugene Adam in July, and an intriguing Fabre project in Baron Edouard De Rothschild's G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris runner-up Mr De Pourceaugnac (Fr) (Camelot {GB}).

Early Classic Clues?

On the same Saint-Cloud card, the 3-year-old generation get their first shot at staking a claim for the upcoming Classics with the 10 1/2-furlong Listed Prix Francois Mathet playing host to Coolmore's Jasperoid (GB) (Galileo {Ire}).

A G1 Prix du Jockey Club entry, the first foal out of the G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. winner Illuminate (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) opened his account over a mile here in November and represents the Fabre stable. Also emanating from that temple of dreams is Sean Mulryan's Best Years Yet (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), who was arguably more impressive than his stablemate when scoring over a mile and a quarter on the same card. A half-brother to the classy stayer Marmelo (GB) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}), he is gelded so there will be no Classic agenda for him in 2022.

G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches aspirants take part in the Listed Prix La Camargo, staged over a mile just over an hour in advance of the Listed Prix Omnium II for those who have the G1 Poulains in their sights. Craig Bernick's Lyon Parilly winner Know Thyself (Ire) is another Galileo with the Classics on her agenda in the Camargo, which boasts the high-class La Cressonniere (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) in its recent honour roll. Know Thyself, a Coolmore-bred daughter of the top-level New Zealand performer Fix (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}), hails from the Francis-Henri Graffard stable responsible for the last two winners of this in Emoji (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) and  Sweet Lady (Fr) (Lope de Vega {Ire}).

Lurking in a competitive renewal of the Omnium is Ecurie Ama Zingteam's unbeaten Mathletic (Fr) (Kingman {GB}), who upset 'TDN Rising Star' Osmose (Fr) (Zoffany {Ire}) over seven furlongs at Chantilly in September. Andre Fabre pitches the half-brother to the smart Gidu (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and Marbre Rose (Ire) (Smart Strike) in alongside his G3 Prix Thomas Bryon scorer Dreamflight (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the Lady Bamford silks.

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Entries Out For World’s Richest Race

Defending winner Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) as well as Breeders' Cup winners Knicks Go (Paynter), Life Is Good (Into Mischief) and Marche Lorraine (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) are among the entries for the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup which takes place on Feb. 26 at Riyadh. Connections of the 5-year-old Mishriff recently confirmed he is on track for the race, and the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Marche Lorraine is expected to conclude her racing career there. Breeders' Cup Classic winner Knicks Go and Dirt Mile victor Life Is Good are set to clash in the Jan. 29 GI Pegasus World Cup, which Knicks Go won last year before finishing fourth in the Saudi Cup. Knicks Go is set to stand stud at Taylor Made Farm this year for $30,000.

Also among the Saudi Cup entries are American Grade I winners Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow), Happy Saver (Super Saver), Art Collector (Bernardini) and Mandaloun (Into Mischief). Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who hasn't been seen since winning last year's G1 Dubai Turf, is among the entries for the Saudi Cup as well as the 2100m Neom Turf Cup, and that is also the case for G1 Coronation Cup winner and last-out G1 Hong Kong Vase second Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}). Last year's G1 Champion S. winner Sealiway (Fr) (Galiway {Ire}) is entered for the Saudi Cup under the name of new trainer Francis Graffard, with Jerome Reynier's dual 2021 Group 1 winner Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) also among the French contingent.

Click here for entries for the 2022 Saudi Cup card.

The post Entries Out For World’s Richest Race appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Addeybb On Course To Defend His Title In QIPCO Champion Stakes

Last year's emphatic QIPCO Champion Stakes winner Addeybb is firmly on course to defend his title in the £1.2 million (about US$1.42 million) contest, according to his trainer William Haggas.

Addeybb finished second in the race in 2019 before going one better last year, providing jockey Tom Marquand with the biggest victory of his career so far. Having since won a third Australian Group 1, taking his career earnings to more than £3.5m (over US$4m), he has now given Marquand four of his six Group 1 wins.

Since returning from Australia his campaign has been geared towards QIPCO British Champions Day, and Haggas, who has also entered rising star Baaeed, as well as Al Aasy, Alenquer and Mohaafeth, is understandably looking forward to it.

He said: “It was great to win the Champion Stakes last year, fantastic. Addeybb was really on his game that day too. If we can get him like that again that would be great.

“Right now he is in a field, but he will have a run before the Champion Stakes. He was a little bit rusty in the Eclipse and the ground wasn't really slow enough for him, but I thought he ran well and he kept going up the hill as usual. I am sure we will meet St Mark's Basilica again at Ascot. It's called the Champion Stakes for a reason. It's where the good ones go.”

Love has already made two visits to Ascot this year and could make a third to run in the QIPCO Champion Stakes. Last year's QIPCO 1000 Guineas and Investec Oaks winner landed the Prince of Wales's Stakes first time out this season, but suffered her first defeat for two years when third behind Derby winner Adayar in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes, for which she started favourite.

Trainer Aidan O'Brien said: “The King George was a little bit of a funny race. Our other horse Broome got left five lengths and he still ended up being able to make the running easily. Ryan (Moore) had to wait to make his run a lot later than he would have preferred and in the end she probably had no race at all.

“Where she goes next I am not sure but we will give her a little bit of time before we decide that. She seems to be in good form.”

Love is one of a host of O'Brien entries for this race, which also include the Coral-Eclipse Stakes winner St Mark's Basilica, the winner of two French Classics this year, plus the outstanding dual Oaks winner Snowfall and the likes of Bolshoi Ballet and Santa Barbara.

“St Mark's Basilica is in at York and Leopardstown and is entered on Champions Day as well,” O'Brien added. “We will get a little bit down the road before we really commit. Snowfall has the two entries (QIPCO Champion Stakes and QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares). We are looking at the Yorkshire Oaks at the moment for her.

“Bolshoi Ballet (entered for QIPCO Champion Stakes) is in America at the moment and he is going to run in Saratoga at the weekend in a Group 1 there. Santa Barbara (entered for QIPCO Champion Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes) is going back to America the following weekend for the mile and a quarter fillies' race. They will come back to Europe after that. Neither of them are soft ground horses.”

Last year's runner-up Skalleti is due to renew rivalry with Addeybb, his trainer Jerome Reynier having had a return to Ascot firmly in his sights all year.

Reynier said: “As a gelding the most prestigious race he could win is definitely the Champion Stakes, so we've been planning his season to bank on it. He is unbeaten in four starts this year and he now has three Group 1 wins under his belt.

“He will probably have one or two races before it and we really hope he will be able to have his ground on the day. He will probably go back to the Prix Dollar for a third time if he is in good form and the ground is soft enough, but we are aiming much for the Champion Stakes. If the ground is not soft enough for Arc weekend, he will be skipping the Prix Dollar.

“He had never run in a Group 1 prior to the Champion Stakes last year. The opposition was very high with Mishriff, Magical and Addeybb, but we were quite confident he'd run well. We really wanted to see how competitive he was going to be against those horses, and now we know we have one of the best horses in Europe on turf at a mile and a quarter.”

John Gosden, who enjoyed wide-margin wins here with Cracksman in 2017 and 2018, has two obvious candidates in Mishriff and Lord North. He has also entered Palace Pier here, as well as in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (sponsored by QIPCO).

He said: “Mishriff goes to York first for the Juddmonte and will then probably run in the Champion Stakes. Lord North is a possibility too. He had a throat infection and couldn't run in the Eclipse, so he hasn't run since Meydan in March, so he'll be coming fresh for the autumn.”

The race is also a possibility for last week's Qatar Nassau Stakes winner Lady Bowthorpe. Trainer William Jarvis said: “She's had a long season, but she's very tough and has an amazing constitution, so if she's still enjoying her work we'll definitely consider the Champion Stakes. In the meantime though we'll keep her against her own sex for as long as we can, and there's the Prix Jean Romanet and the Prix de l'Opera to look at before Ascot.”

No fewer than 26 individual Group 1 winning horses are entered for the QIPCO Champion Stakes who, between them, have accumulated 52 wins at the highest level.

Full Entries: Addeybb (IRE) Al Aasy (IRE) Armory (IRE) Benbatl (GB) Broome (IRE) Euchen Glen (GB) Helvic Dream (IRE) Innisfree (IRE) Japan (GB) Juan Elcano (GB) Lord North (IRE) Mishriff (IRE) Mogul (GB) Palace Pier (GB) Patrick Sarsfield (FR) Real World (IRE) Skalleti (FR) Stormy Antarctic (GB) Audarya (FR) Lady Bowthorpe (GB) Love (IRE) Tarnawa (IRE) Thundering Nights (IRE) Wonderful Tonight (FR) Adayar (IRE) Alenquer (FR) Bolshoi Ballet (IRE) Earlswood (GB) Foxes Tales (IRE) Highland Avenue (IRE) Lone Eagle (IRE) Mac Swiney (IRE) Master of The Seas (IRE) Mohaafeth (IRE) Mojo Star (IRE) Mostahdaf (IRE) Sealiway (FR) St Mark's Basilica (FR) Third Realm (GB) Joan of Arc (IRE) Mother Earth (IRE) Santa Barbara (IRE) Snowfall (JPN) Snow Lantern (GB)

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