Tag: Vadeni (Fr)

Soumillon’s Eclipse Ban Reduced To Eight Days

Jockey Christophe Soumillon has had his twelve-day suspension for careless riding in the G1 Coral-Eclipse S. reduced to eight days following an appeal hearing on Thursday. On board Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}), the pair cut across and impeded the third- and fourth-placed finishers William Buick on Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) for Charlie Appleby and James Doyle on Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) for John and Thady Gosden after the winning post, as Soumillon celebrated. The stewards reviewed the race and subsequently handed out their suspension.

Soumillon, speaking via a Zoom call from France on Thursday, said, “Like I said to the stewards straight away after the race, and seeing the images again today, you can see that I made a mistake, that's for sure.

“I didn't know how many horses were on my inside. We have seen the videos at quarter speed, but the thing you have to remember is I'm riding at full speed, and I never saw that between Mr Buick and the rail there was Mr Doyle. I should probably look, but I didn't.

“For sure the images after the line are not good, not for racing and not for myself, but nothing was done on purpose, and I really try to give my sport the best image I can.

“For me it was the chance for one of the biggest days of my career, as it is not easy for a 3-year-old colt coming from France to win one of the hardest races in the UK. This race wasn't won by a French horse for 60 years and probably I over-celebrated the moment. My kids were there and there was a lot of emotion for me that day.”

He added, “The day after the race I called Mr Appleby and Mr [John)] Gosden for news about the horses and I know both horses were doing well after the race, so that was a relief as if I heard one of these champions had got hurt from one of my little mistakes, it would have been very hard for me to understand.

“The suspension is probably the hardest I have had in my career. I'm not somebody who puts my colleagues in danger in any part of the race.

“Twelve days is probably a hundred rides for me as I'm riding eight races a day. If you have to give me a suspension I can accept it, but I don't think it was that bad on the day–I think it was very severe for somebody who didn't do it on purpose.

“I think I was professional for 99.8% of the race. Unfortunately, for three strides I wasn't completely concentrated, and that little fraction makes it look worse than what it really is.”

Disciplinary Panel Chairman James O'Mahony confirmed the suspension would be reduced, and said, “He said, “Generally, of course, Monsieur Soumillon is a much-respected horseman and jockey and as can be expected of him, he addressed us with courtesy and realism, accepting what he had done is wrong and we detected significant remorse.

“There's a lot of common ground here. This is careless riding, no one suggests otherwise, the interference was considerable, no one suggests otherwise, and there was irresponsible behaviour, as Monsieur Soumillon has accepted.

“But and there is a big but, there is in this case a very significant safety risk and Mr. Soumillon and Vadeni are included in this. Mercifully, nobody went down and there were no injuries.

“The actual time of which his riding of the horse can be considered irresponsible and indeed careless was very short. Considering all these matters and bearing in mind the mitigation and the aggravating factors, we're going to allow the appeal and do feel the sentence was too severe.

“The panel order that the period of suspension should be one of eight days, thus the appeal succeeds.”

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Eclipse Glory For Churchill’s Vadeni

Delivered by fate to coincide with the centennial year of The Aga Khan's Studs, the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}) descended on Sandown on Saturday to mark the occasion by providing his owner-breeder with a landmark first G1 Coral-Eclipse S. success. In the kind of tight finale that could comfortably have been predicted given the highly-competitive nature of this year's renewal, the Prix du Jockey Club hero held a fast-diminishing neck margin over the arguably unlucky Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), with the race's other 3-year-old Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) a further head away in third and Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) only half a length behind in a four-way go. “It is always a real challenge coming to England and not easy for us, so this is a good day,” Rouget commented.

While Christophe Soumillon can be commended for his in-race tactics more than for his immediate celebrations which almost led to Lord North being brought down, this much-vaunted Eclipse was run as a typically “French” affair with steady fractions and a two-furlong sprint. Vadeni, who drifted markedly to 11-4 second favouritism as all the money flooded in for the ultimately disappointing 9-4 market-leader Bay Bridge (GB) (New Bay {GB}), was anchored last of the six early with Alenquer (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}) sent on and Bay Bridge in close attendance. Whether by accident or design, Tom Marquand was not making it a true test on the Haggas runner which played against the slow-starting Mishriff and by the time Vadeni was being primed by Soumillon three out the screw was really being turned.

Strangely, a furlong later Bay Bridge who had been so impressive over this course and distance in the Brigadier Gerard was sending out all the wrong signals and his demise meant that Mishriff was caught between him and Native Trail while Vadeni was enjoying a clear passage being slung-shot down the outer to take command approaching the furlong pole. Having been level with the French raider two out, the Gosdens' international star found himself two lengths adrift with a furlong to run and despite his surge cutting back most of the deficit it was not enough.

Vadeni, who made his debut at La Teste de Buch last July, is also the winner of the Listed Criterium du Fonds Europeen de l'Elevage and G3 Prix de Guiche with tactics probably at play in his defeats in the G3 Prix de Conde and G3 Prix de Fontainebleau. Clearly now a colt come of age, Rouget explained that he had forced their hand to launch this audacious raid. “The horse was very well after the Jockey Club and it was too long to wait until the Irish Champion, he has the action of a good-ground horse and we had confidence in him,” he said. “It was maybe less of a fast pace than usual and everyone had their chance at the top of the straight. We decided to have him behind and not put the horse into the fight too early to preserve his acceleration. It will be the Irish Champion next and then either Ascot [for the Champion S.] or the Arc. We don't know, but for me he is a typical mile and a quarter horse.”

Soumillon, who was later handed a 12-day ban July 16-27 with his celebrations causing Vadeni to lurch towards the rail past the line and create a concertina which almost led to Lord North being brought down, was content that the run of the race put the winner firmly in his comfort zone. “The pace was just fine–for my horse everything was perfect,” he said. “He was really relaxed. He changed legs perfectly everywhere I wanted and when I came out of the turn, the pace picked up and for like 50 or 100 yards he was a bit off the bridle, so I had to give him a chance.”

“When he just went up that small uphill at the two-furlong maker, he just took me on the bridle and changed legs,” he added. “That was at the point where I was thinking 'should I wait a bit more?' but I saw Mishriff on my inside had been completely stopped and I just let him go. That is why I came maybe 50 or 100 yards too early to hit the front and unfortunately maybe 100 yards from the line, he stumbled and lost balance for a few strides so I was asking 'please don't give up, keep going' but he gives you a gear like champions can. When I passed the line I didn't see William and James on my inside and my horse just shifted to take the corner. Unfortunately they had to check both their horses quite badly and like I said to the stewards that is my fault. I shouldn't have first celebrated like that and I should have looked to my inside to make sure I hadn't put them in trouble at that point.”

Thady Gosden said of the G1 Juddmonte International, G1 Saudi Cup and G1 Dubai Sheema Classic winner, whose run through the race is certain to be the subject of much discussion for some time, “Mishriff has run a great race. He just missed the break and the plan was to follow Bay Bridge, which meant we wound up on the inside. David has done everything right and I am thrilled with the horse. Three-year-olds get a lot of weight at this time of year and so to split two of the star three-year-olds of this season is a great performance. I think we will now be looking at going back to York with him for the Juddmonte International and we could also look at the King George for him. Lord North also ran a good race. He just got squeezed up a bit, but has still run well.”

Charlie Appleby was delighted with Native Trail and said, “William said he had no excuses. He felt he was in the right position and the horse was comfortable throughout the race and over the trip. He said he saw it out, but take nothing away from the winner and the eventual second. That was a strong event and it was always going to be a tight finish. I don't think you were ever going to see a horse win by a couple of lengths. I posed the question 'do we come back to a mile?' but he said he is comfortable at that and I see no reason why we don't stay at a mile and a quarter. That might give him a few more options. Maybe on a slicker track where they go a better gallop it might just suit him.”

Vadeni is the third black-type performer for Vaderana (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}) alongside the Australian stakes-placed Vadiyann (Fr) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) and the four-times listed-placed Vadsena (Fr) (Makfi {GB}). The second dam is the G1 Prix Saint-Alary heroine Vadawina (Ire) (Unfuwain), whose progeny include the G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris winner Vadamar (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}), his Listed Prix Isonomy-winning full-sister Vedouma (Fr) and the G3 Tyros S. winner and G1 Racing Post Trophy-placed The Pentagon (Ire) by Churchill's sire Galileo (Ire).

Vadawina is kin to the fellow Saint-Alary winner Vazira (Fr) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and the stakes-producing, dual group 3 winner Vadapolina (Fr) (Trempolino) who is also the second dam of the G2 Prix Chaudenay and G2 Prix Maurice de Nieuil scorer and G1 Prix Royal-Oak runner-up Valia (Fr) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and the G3 Prix Bertrand de Tarragon scorer Waliyak (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}). Also connected to the G1 Queen Anne S. and G1 Prix d'Ispahan hero Valixir (Ire) (Trempolino), the G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp-winning sire Vadamos (Fr) by Vaderana's sire and the Breeders' Cup Mile hero Val Royal (Fr) (Royal Academy), Vaderana's unraced 2-year-old colt by Camelot (GB) is named Vazirpour (GB).

Saturday, Sandown, Britain
CORAL-ECLIPSE-G1, £790,625, Sandown, 7-2, 3yo/up, 9f 209yT, 2:05.20, g/f.
1–VADENI (FR), 125, c, 3, by Churchill (Ire)
     1st Dam: Vaderana (Fr), by Monsun (Ger)
     2nd Dam: Vadawina (Ire), by Unfuwain
     3rd Dam: Vadaza (Fr), by Zafonic
O-H.H. Aga Khan; B-Haras De S.A. Aga Khan S.C.E.A. (FR); T-Jean-Claude Rouget; J-Christophe Soumillon. £448,363. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Fr, 7-5-0-1, $1,608,202. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Mishriff (Ire), 135, h, 5, Make Believe (GB)–Contradict (GB), by Raven's Pass. O-Prince A. A. Faisal; B-Nawara Stud Limited (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden. £169,984.
3–Native Trail (GB), 125, c, 3, Oasis Dream (GB)–Needleleaf (GB), by Observatory. (€50,000 Wlg '19 ARQDE; 67,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT; 210,000gns 2yo '21 TATBRE). O-Godolphin; B-Le Haras D'Haspel (GB); T-Charlie Appleby. £85,071.
Margins: NK, HD, HF. Odds: 2.75, 7.00, 3.00.
Also Ran: Lord North (Ire), Bay Bridge (GB), Alenquer (Fr). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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Vadeni Poised To Deliver In Eclipse

In the centennial year of The Aga Khan's Studs, the operation's latest flame Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}) could present his owner-breeder with a present of particular value in Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse S. While The Aga Khan has won most of Europe's major middle distance prizes, Sandown's much-coveted contest has so far eluded him with Kalanisi (Ire) coming closest in his epic encounter with Giant's Causeway in the millennium edition. With weight-for-age tipping the balance very much in his favour, Jean-Claude Rouget's first runner at the Esher venue is ideally positioned to become the second consecutive G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero to double up here and to provide Christophe Soumillon with a first winner at the track. He also has French pride riding on his back, with a yawning gap back to the last of the country's Eclipse heroes in Javelot (Fr) in 1960.

 

Marking The Occasion

If Vadeni is to reward his supplementary entry with victory, he will also be bridging a 70-year gap since The Aga Khan III registered the third of his three successes with the brilliant Tulyar. There is a sense that the unorthodox move from connections has been orchestrated due partly to this landmark year but mostly as a result of the colt's raw material. Still a work in progress, we might not have seen the best of the homebred whose relatives include the English Group 1 winner Valixir (Ire) (Trempolino) and the GI Breeders' Cup Mile hero Val Royal (Fr) (Royal Academy).

Georges Rimaud, Racing Manager to The Aga Khan, said, “We are celebrating 100 years of the Aga Khan Studs and have a few things planned later in the year. It is an honour to be able to celebrate this and if we have some good winners this year it would be great. It takes a lot of commitment from the owner and I know that His Highness is obviously very pleased with how things are going.”

 

The Haggas Factor

William Haggas's stable is bursting with good health and has continued to thrive this week and defy the logic that their early-summer purple patch must come to an end. In M M Stables' 4-year-old Alenquer (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}), the yard have a strong contender in this renewal with his recent record boasting a defeat of the Prince of Wales's hero State Of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), Lord North (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and the Hardwicke hero Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) in The Curragh's G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup May 22. Add to that the fact that he was the winner of a vintage renewal of the course-and-distance G3 Sandown Classic Trial last April and showed impressive pace when putting Lord North to the sword in the Feb. 22 G3 Winter Derby and it is clear he is a genuine player here.

Speaking at Sandown on Friday, Maureen Haggas was playing down his chance. “He ran a brilliant race in Ireland, but he likes dig in the ground and a mile and a quarter on soft is the ideal,” she said. “He is an absolute star and is as tough as old boots–he'll give his all, as he always does, but on this ground it is a big ask.” William seemed to be more confident as he said, “He beat a [G1] Derby winner and a Breeders' Cup winner the last time he went to Sandown and he won the Tattersalls Gold Cup, beating a [G1] Cox Plate and [G1] Prince of Wales's winner. Some may think he's an outsider, but I don't–he's a good horse.”

 

A Proven Trail

Even before Charlie Appleby took off, he was saddling the 3-year-old Hawkbill (Kitten's Joy) to cause a minor upset as his first runner in the Eclipse in 2016. Hawkbill was fourth two years later as his second representative, while his third was the 2020 winner Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). That is some tally, so the pressure is on last year's champion juvenile and G1 Irish 2000 Guineas hero Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) to uphold the stable's enviable record. Impressive on his sole visit here when handing a four-length beating to Royal Patronage (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) on his debut last June, his subsequent tally of three Group 1 wins means that he enters his first battle with the older horses as one the race's most accomplished in that sphere. His stamina has to be taken on trust, however, with Distant Music (Distant View) being the only true middle-distance performer relatively close-up on the dam's side.

Appleby is not entirely convinced he will see out this tough mile and a quarter. “The question mark is the mile and a quarter trip, but you can take a few pieces out of his pedigree which suggest he has a chance of staying,” he said. “At the end of the day, in the Irish Guineas he was doing his best work in the last 200 yards, so we are confident within ourselves he can go the mile and a quarter. More importantly, he is a strong 3-year-old who won't look out of place against his elders.”

 

Free Pass

At Haydock on Saturday, the G2 bet365 Lancashire Oaks looks a strong contest with George Strawbridge's impressive G2 Park Hill S. winner Free Wind (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) making her seasonal bow on her first start since that seven-length success at Doncaster's St Leger meeting. John Gosden has won this five times since 2011 and holds the record of eight wins, so it is fair to say he knows what it takes and the exciting homebred 4-year-old has genuine talent. Clarehaven's representatives usually require a run to get up to speed, even if Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) proved the exception to the rule last month, so a win on this reintroduction will augur well for her prospects this term. Last year's G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. winner Eshaada (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) has had a pipe-opener in 2022, while Sunderland Holdings' Sea La Rosa (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) comes into this on the back of success in the course-and-distance G3 Pinnacle S. May 28.

 

Alert And Ready

While 3-year-old representation in this has been numerically small in recent years and the ones that have been pitched into battle have hardly been the cream of the Classic crop, it is notable that since 2012 all of that age that have tried have not succeeded and most have been soundly beaten. Looking to buck the trend and exploit a generous 12-pound weight-for-age allowance this time are Kirsten Rausing's Oaks fifth Kawida (GB) (Sir Percy {GB}) and Ben and Sir Martyn Arbib's June 9 Listed Abingdon S. scorer Stay Alert (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), with the latter sure to appreciate the step up in trip.

“I think it is competitive enough and there is a strong group of older horses,” the latter's trainer Hughie Morrison said. “The exciting thing she showed at Newbury was she had a turn of foot. She can only get better over time and she has had quite a busy year. Whatever she achieves now through the rest of the year is going to be great, but she will be serious next year. Martyn Arbib is not getting any younger and he wants to have a go at the St Leger-we can pretend and dream about it, can't we?”

 

What Next From Torquator Tasso?

Hamburg's Derby meeting on Saturday sees the second outing in 2022 of Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}), with Marcel Weiss hoping that Gestut Auenquelle's reigning Arc hero shows much more of his sparkle in the G2 wettstar.de Grosser Hansa-Preis. A shadow of the performer that turned up at ParisLongchamp in October when sixth behind the re-opposing Alter Adler (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}) in the May 29 G2 Grosser Preis der Badischen Wirtschaft, he has some serious ground to cover if he is to return to his pomp.

 

Hurricane Blows In

As far as the Arc is concerned, Sunday is a big day with the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud attracting a star cast headed by Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). Tackling Kirsten Rausing's triple Group 1 winner Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Ballydoyle's High Definition (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Ballylinch Stud and Aquis Farm's Lone Eagle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Gestut Schlenderhan's Mare Australis (Ire) (Australia {GB}), this is no easy second step for Godolphin's Irish Derby, Grand Prix de Paris and St Leger hero.

“There's a bit of rain forecast, so it looks like being on the slower side of good for sure. Any quicker and it might have raised concerns,” Charlie Appleby said on Friday. “He'll have one more prep run before the Arc and whether that will be in Ireland, England or France, we'll make that decision closer to the time.”

Click here for the group fields.

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Stellar Six Lined Up For Eclipse Clash

In what is shaping up as if it could be a vintage 2022 season, Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse S. has let nobody down with a high-class turn-out of six in what has historically been termed as the first “Clash of the Generations”. The Aga Khan's supplemented Prix du Jockey Club hero Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}) was drawn in stall four on Thursday, next to Godolphin's more decorated fellow 3-year-old Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) in five, with the race's possible pace angle Alenquer (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}) widest in six. Following the expected withdrawal of Ballydoyle's trio which included two who had produced career-bests under aggressive front-running rides in Galileo (Ire)'s High Definition (Ire) and Stone Age (Ire), the question of who will take up the mantle in the lead is open to question.

 

Bridging the Gap

Caught out in a tactically-run affair 17 days ago in the G1 Prince of Wales's S., James Wigan and Ballylinch Stud's Bay Bridge (GB) (New Bay {GB}) could be ridden closer to the pace this time with Ryan Moore sure to be keen to address the defeat at the hands of the expertly-ridden State of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) at Royal Ascot. While there is no guarantee that the Sir Michael Stoute-trained 4-year-old would have won had he pressed Joseph O'Brien's colt further out, there are significant grounds to suggest he would have been closer at the death. Provided the 10-pound weight-for-age gift he presents to the year-younger duo is not insurmountable, he appeals as the ideal type for this race especially given how demonstrative he was in the G3 Brigadier Gerard S. over this course and distance May 26.

 

Faith Justified

James Wigan turned down overseas offers prior to selling a share in Bay Bridge to Ballylinch and believes his homebred has a strong chance of giving Stoute that seventh win in the race and hand him the overall record over Aidan O'Brien and Alec Taylor.

“Bay Bridge came back from Ascot bouncing and seems to be in rude health. I think the winner there was very cleverly ridden and stole a march on the others,” the owner-breeder told QIPCO British Champions Series. “I'm not saying we would have won if the race had been run differently, but he was beaten only a length and was still inching closer at the finish. If the race was run again I think we could have been closer still. It's probably the best Eclipse we've seen for a while, but he seemed to enjoy Sandown when he won the Brigadier Gerard.”

 

Egan Ready

Only third in this 12 months ago, Prince A A Faisal's Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) is back with a similar profile coming into it on his European bow and jockey David Egan is keen to resume his partnership with the 5-year-old. Whereas last term he was re-entering the fray after wins in the G1 Saudi Cup and G1 Dubai Sheema Classic, this time he cuts a more enigmatic figure having last been seen finishing a distant last of the 14 runners who took part in the Riyadh bonanza Feb. 26.

“I felt the dirt maybe wasn't riding with the same consistency as it did the previous year. It was a lot warmer, which will affect the dirt surface, and maybe it was a negative for him on the day,” Egan suggests. “He didn't jump as well, we asked him to get a prominent position and the pace was fierce–the winner came from a long way back. Mr. Gosden said he also got a bit of kickback, which might have affected him.”

 

Clean Slate

Ignoring that Saudi Cup effort, Mishriff remains the foremost older horse in this line-up on achievement and Egan is happy that the homebred is back in a good place ahead of Saturday.

“I've sat on him a number of times over the last couple of weeks and he feels in good form and tuned up and ready to go,” he added. “People have possibly written him off before and he's bounced back better than ever on a number of occasions. He's an exciting horse in that sense, knowing he can do that. He's the highest-rated horse in the race on paper and on figures he's the one to beat. It's a small field, but it's a boutique field and you could build a case for any horse in the race. Mishriff has been in a lot of tactical battles and I wouldn't be worried about the tactical aspect. He's pretty straightforward and he's an older, more mature horse now and easier to ride in some respects. He'll be a lot more mature than the 3-year-olds, which will only be an asset to him.”

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