1 May 2020
Photos scoopdyga.com
Wednesday, May 1st, 2019, Saint-Cloud. - Last going into the last straight, 5-year-old Plumatic (Dubawi) passed by the field to score impressively in the Prix du Muguet Mile (Gr2), the biggest race of the May 1st meeting at St. Cloud. This very hot renewal was led by English raider Ostilio (New Approach), and 2018 French Two Thousand Guineas winner Olmedo (Declaration of War) was the first to make a move as they were sprinting in the last bend. The Jean-Claude Rouget-trained colt never let go but could not spare a neck on Plumatic. Mer et Nuages (Lope de Vega) also fought to the ned and finished third within a length of the first two home.
Still well placed by the rail after a very good start, football International striker Antoine Griezmann's Tornibush (Dream Ahead) finished fourth, more than two lengths behind, after rubbing shoulders with Mer et Nuages at the turning point of the race. Gr1-winner Polydream (Oasis Dream) did not pass this test over the mile, finishing sixth on a distance now possibly too long for her.
Homebred by Wertheimer & Frère, Plumatic won the Sovereign Stakes (Gr3) in Britain last year over the mile but finished twice 4th in the Prix de Moulin de Longchamp (Gr1) and the Prix Daniel Wildenstein (Gr2) won by Ostilio later on.
Trained by André Fabre, he has now started this third season in the most convincing way and seems to be best around this distance. He is out of the Grand Prix of Saint-Cloud (Gr1) winner Plumania (Anabaa), also the dam of Starmaniac (Sea the Stars), a classic hope this season for the Wertheimers, staring in the Prix Greffulhe (Gr2) that same day at Saint-Cloud. Plumania then gave Frankel colt now trained by Christophe Ferland, and a Sea the Stars filly.
The most important of the two classics' prep races at Saint-Cloud on May 1st, the Prix Greffulhe (Gr2) brought together five runners including Starmaniac (Sea the Stars), a brother to Plumatic, who had just won the Muguet Mile (Gr2).
The front-running outsider Pappalino (Makfi) was quite rightly unimpressed and he led all the way to finally concede only a neck to his only rival, Godolphin's Roman Candle (Le Havre), in the dying strides. The latter dug deep to overcome the French actor Gérald Laroche's challenger, whose colours also won last Saturday in the Grande Course de Haies de Printemps (Gr3) at Auteuil. The two first home left three lengths between them and Starmaniac, which was never able to build any kind of serious threat. The Wertheimer family homebred had opened his starting box while during the loading, which probably didn't help him to settle.
The winner had just finished third for his return in the Prix La Force (Gr3) won by Shaman, a Starmaniac stablemate at Carlos Laffon-Parias'.
Roman Candle was bought € 190,000 from Arqana sales, but his sister by Toronado was sold last summer at the Arqana sales for € 90,000 to Jean-Claude Rouget. She has never raced and is now out of training since March. Both yearlings were consigned by Pierre Talvard's Haras du Cadran. Their dam Holy Dazzle (Sunday Break) was second in the Prix Imprudence (Gr3) but could not win at Listed level after that. However, her second dam foaled Chichicastenango, winner of the Prix Lupin (Gr1) and Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris (Gr1).
After a winning return in the Prix Durban over the same extended 10 furlongs trip, Cartiem (Cape Cross) was the most resolute catch and beat Phoceenne (Olympic Glory) on the post in the Prix Pénélope (Gr3). With four fillies going to the start after Secret Walk (Dansili) was scratched, this classic prep race for the Prix de Diane Longines (French Oaks, Gr1) was led by Phocéenne, representing Kamel Chehboub's Haras de la Gousserie. Also a winner for her return at 3-year-old of the Prix Rose de Mai (L) on this course but over 2,000m rather than the day's longer 2,100m-trip, Phoceenne tried hard to steal the race but her challenger, owned by Jean-Louis Tepper, Écurie des Charmes and Gerard Augustin-Normand pulled herself together in time to deny Phocennee, while the favourite Romancière (Dansili), who was racing for the first time this season, finished very nicely in 3rd.
Cartiem was bred in France by Rashit Shaykhutdinov, the Haras du Mézeray and American trainer Christophe Clément. She was bought as a yearling by her trainer Jean-Claude Rouget for € 140,000 at the October Arqana sale. Her dam Mintaka (Zamindar) was bought € 90,000 at the 2014 breeding sales in Deauville to her breeder-owner Aga Khan, for which she had won a single race at Nancy. It is the family of Manighar (Linamix), triple Gr1 winner in Australia, and a brother of Mintaka.
The latter also has a 2-year-old by Charm Spirit, Parole et Musique, in training with Jean-Claude Rouget, who bought her € 70,000 last year.
Cartiem is entered in both the Saxon Warrior Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary (Gr1) and the Prix de Diane Longines (Gr1).
And then ...
Plumatic competed only once after winning the Prix du Muguet, almost six months later when he finished third in the Prix Perth (Gr3) in late November. He is still training with Francis-Henri Graffard. Third in the Prix Greffulhe that same day, his brother Starmaniac only raced once since and is still declared in training with Carlos Laffon-Parias.
Plumania, their dam, has also foaled a 3-year-old by Frankel who won for his only outing, in November at Pau, and holds entries in the Prix du Jockey Club and the Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris. He is trained by Christophe Ferland. A 2-year-old full sister to Starmaniac is declared in training with André Fabre. Plumania also has a Dubawi filly born in 2019.
Roman Candle took the fifth place in the QIPCO Prix du Jockey Club (Gr1) after this Prix Greffulhe. Fourth in the Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris (Gr1) won by Japan, he ended his career with a very good second place in the Prix Guillaume d'Ornano Haras du Logis Saint-Germain (Gr2) won by a head by Headman. He is now a sire based in Haras de la Hêtraie in Normandy. Purchased € 90,000 by Jean-Claude Rouget at the Arqana sales in August 2019, his sister Moisson du Ciel (Toronado) is in training.
Cartiem has not really managed to climb to the best level. Clearly beaten in the Prix de Diane Longines, then in the Prix Psyché, where Romancière finished third, she finished third in the Prix de la Nonette (Gr2) at Deauville before being sold for € 750,000 at the Arqana Arc sale. Clearly beaten the next day in the Prix de l'Opéra Longines, she was shipped to Ireland. Her younger sister, now 3, was entered last September by Jean-Claude Rouget in a good maiden at Saint-Cloud but was declared a non-runner with a vet certificate. She's no longer in training.
As for Romancière, she is still in training with André Fabre.