Sumbe’s Belbek In Successful Farewell At Saint-Cloud

Winless since capturing the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere 12 months ago, Nurlan Bizakov's Belbek (Fr) (Showcasing {GB}) thrived back on a deep surface to sign off with a win in Sunday's G3 Prix Perth at Saint-Cloud. Showing he retained his ability when third in the G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein at ParisLongchamp on Arc Saturday, the Andre Fabre trainee was kept fresh in the interim and raced a touch freely early anchored in fourth against the rail by Bauyrzhan Murzabayev.

One of five who stayed far side swinging for home, the 4-1 shot subdued stablemate Tribalist (GB) (Farhh {GB}) passing two out and kept on to secure the success by half a length from the stand's-side group's “winner” The Revenant (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) as the 9-10 favourite Tribalist wound up two lengths further away in third.

Bizakov and Sumbe's racing manager Mathieu Le Forestier revealed that Belbek is off to the Stud now. “He's been unlucky at times and it's lovely that he bows out with a thrilling win,” he said. “He was our first group 1-winning homebred and is the first Showcasing and first stallion from the Hasili line to stand in France. Hats off to Andre, as he instructed his jockeys to stay on the inside rail even though all the races so far had been won on the stand's side–it was the right decision.”

 

Pedigree Notes
Belbek, whose record also includes a win in the six-furlong G3 Prix du Bois at two, is the second foal out of Bee Queen (GB) (Makfi {GB}) who was an inspired purchase at just 50,000gns from Juddmonte's draft in the 2017 Tattersalls December Mares Sale. A daughter of Trojan Queen (Empire Maker), she is therefore a half-sister to the talented G3 Hampton Court S. winner Sangarius (GB) (Kingman {GB}) and to the G3 Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial-placed stakes producer Emergent (GB) by Showcasing's sire Oasis Dream (GB).

Trojan Queen is a daughter of Fabre's triple top-level-winning champion and Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine Banks Hill (GB) (Danehill), who produced the G1 Prix Prix Jean Romanet winner Romantica (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and the dual listed scorer and G2 Prix Niel runner-up Ideal World (Kingmambo). As Le Forestier pointed out, the fourth dam is the legendary producer Hasili (Ire) (Kahyasi {Ire}), responsible for so many of Juddmonte's stars including the GI Beverly D. S. winner Heat Haze (GB) by Oasis Dream's sire Green Desert. Bee Queen's unraced 2-year-old colt Baysangur (Fr) is by Gleneagles (Ire).

Sunday, Saint-Cloud, France
PRIX PERTH-G3, €80,000, Saint-Cloud, 10-22, 3yo/up, 8fT, 1:43.93, vs.
1–BELBEK (FR), 123, c, 3, by Showcasing (GB)
     1st Dam: Bee Queen (GB), by Makfi (GB)
     2nd Dam: Trojan Queen, by Empire Maker
     3rd Dam: Banks Hill (GB), by Danehill
O-Nurlan Bizakov; B-Sumbe (FR); T-Andre Fabre; J-Bauyrzhan Murzabayev. €40,000. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Fr, 12-4-0-2, €385,863. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–The Revenant (GB), 127, g, 8, Dubawi (Ire)–Hazel Lavery (Ire), by Excellent Art (GB). O-Al Asayl France; B-Al Asayl Bloodstock Ltd (GB); T-Francis-Henri Graffard. €16,000.
3–Tribalist (GB), 129, c, 4, Farhh (GB)–Fair Daughter (GB), by Nathaniel (Ire). (130,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Godolphin SNC; B-Car Colston Hall Stud (GB); T-Andre Fabre. €12,000.
Margins: HF, 2, 1 1/4. Odds: 4.30, 5.60, 0.90.
Also Ran: Anthorus (Fr), Gregarina (Fr), American Flag (Fr), Arnis Master (Ger), Miramis (Ire), Nano Nagle (Ire), Foniska (Ire). Video, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Saturday Preview: The Flat Is Back

Ireland's Flat action may have already started and France's has been rumbling on for several days, but for many the real beginning to the season on the level is Doncaster's Lincoln H. on a Saturday which wrests the attention from the national hunt in no uncertain terms. Whether there is a horse of the calibre of Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) lurking in the prestigious mile handicap remains to be seen, but there is a strong vibe surrounding another member of the William Haggas tribe in 'TDN Rising Star' Al Mubhir (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who is the mount of Doncaster specialist Andrea Atzeni now operating as a freelance in a 2023 that will define his future riding career. “I thought he was going to be a good horse,” Haggas said of Al Mubhir, who had looked pattern-class all over when entered in the G3 Craven S. 12 months ago. “He won his maiden very nicely at Newmarket as a two-year-old and then I thought he was going to be a nice three-year-old. Then he was very disappointing. He was pretty unruly as well and lost his way a bit, but he finished the season well. I don't know how good he is, but he's always been a nice horse and I think he's in good shape.”

Donny Delights…

Also at Doncaster are the Listed Cammidge Trophy, which sees the return of the still-unexposed G2 Sandy Lane S. winner El Caballo (GB) (Havana Gold {Ire}) returning for the first time since beating only two home as the joint-favourite for the G1 Commonwealth Cup, and the Listed Doncaster Mile while the 2-year-olds assembled for the opening Brocklesby Conditions S.

 

Plat Du Jour…

'TDN Rising Star' Pensee Du Jour | Scoop Dyga

It is at Saint-Cloud that the high-stakes action takes place, however, with Andre Fabre seeking a third straight success with TDN Rising Star Pensee Du Jour (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) in the G3 Prix Penelope. Staged over the 10 1/2-furlong trip of the Prix de Diane, the renowned trial has surprisingly not been won by a subsequent heroine of that Classic since Pensee Du Jour 's distant relative Pawneese (Ire), the Wildensteins' champion of 1976. Fabre already holds the record of nine in this and the way the Ballymore Thoroughbred representative went through her maiden at Chantilly in February and the Listed Prix Rose de Mai here early this month suggests that number 10 is imminent.

Come On, Get Happy…

Ballydoyle have begun the year with gusto and the presence of two of the stable's runners in the Penelope is certain to be an indicator of what is to come as Rosegreen look more to France than ever before. Ryan Moore is here and not on the aforementioned favourite for the Lincoln, so it is up to another daughter of Camelot in Be Happy (Ire) to make up for that missed opportunity. Impressive at Cork on debut in September, the relative of the Prix du Jockey Club hero Anabaa Blue (GB) and of the great Urban Sea was only fifth in The Curragh's G3 Staffordstown Stud S. the following month but this is a new year and her rider is quietly confident. “Be Happy will enjoy the expected soft ground and she is a filly we like,” he said. “She probably didn't get the run of the race at the Curragh and this longer trip will suit.” Jean-Claude Rouget saddles Denford Stud's dual Cagnes-Sur-Mer scorer Iznik (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}), while Gainesway Ventures' Arqana December purchase Speirling Beag (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) adds weight having won Leopardstown's G3 Eyrefield S. and been in front of Be Happy when third in the Staffordstown.

Old Habits Die Hard…

In the G3 Prix Edmond Blanc, Al Asayl France's stalwart The Revenant (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) has everything in his favour as he bids for a third renewal following his win in the course-and-distance Listed Prix Altipan three weeks ago, with the G3 Prix Perth one-two Facteur Cheval (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}) and Tribalist (GB) (Farhh {GB}) and the 2021 G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and G1 Criterium International hero Angel Bleu (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}) offering stern opposition. Unbeaten at this venue in five starts on ground that rode softer than good, the 8-year-old former QEII hero still sets the standard in this type of company.

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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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Rising Star Pensee Du Jour Set For Black-Type Bow

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. Thursday's Observations features a 'TDN Rising Star'.

15.00 Saint-Cloud, Listed, €55,000, 3yo, f, 10fT
Ballymore Thoroughbred Racing's 3-year-old filly PENSEE DU JOUR (IRE) (Camelot {GB}) made a spectacular winning debut at Chantilly last month, attaining 'TDN Rising Star' status with a geared-down four-length tally over 9 1/2 furlongs, and she takes the step up in class and trip for this turf bow. The January-foaled bay is one of 10 nominated for Saint-Cloud's Listed Prix Rose de Mai over 10 furlongs and her rivals include undefeated winners-of-one Cracksmania (GB) (Cracksman {GB}) and Akagera (Fr) (Prince Gibraltar {Fr}).

 

16.10 Saint-Cloud, Listed, €52,000, 4yo/up, 8fT
Al Asayl France's homebred 2020 G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. hero THE REVENANT (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) returns to action for Francis Graffard and encounters seven hardened rivals coming back off an Oct. 15 seventh over this trip when making his fourth start in the Ascot benchmark last time. The 8-year-old gelding lines up for a third go at Saint-Cloud's Listed Prix Altipan and has saluted five times in seven starts over the one-mile strip here, including two Group 3s and the 2019 and 2022 editions of this fixture.

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