French Maiden Winners in January

ASTRACHEM (C3), FRA by Zebedee ex Daidoo (Shamardal)
Prix de Giberville (3yo Maiden, 1,300m AW), January 4, Deauville

Owners : Louis Baudron et Meridian International
Trainer : Louis Baudron
Breeders : Reinhard Stockli et Manfred Wurtenberger
Rider : Antoine Hamelin

7th for his debut in October over a very soft ground at Chantilly over 6 furlongs, Astrachem (Zebedee) finished 4th twice after that and over Chantilly and Deauville's all-weather tracks before fainlly prevailing for his owner-trainer Louis Baudron.

Held back for a while, Astrachem joined long time leader Out of System (Makfi), whom he dominated near the post, just as he already had in november by a short head at Chantilly when 4th in a very heated finish.

Astrachem is the 4th foal out of the unraced mare Daidoo, whose yearling colt by Holy Roman Emperor (Danehill) was sold for €62,000 to Con Marnane in August at Arqana, where Astrachem made €40,000 a year earlier.

The colt's 5th dam, Duboff (So Blessed), born 45 years ago, is also 4th dam tochampion mare Siljan’s Saga (Sagamix).

BEAUTOT (C3), FRA by Le Havre ex Sallen (Oratorio)
Prix de la Barelière (3yo C&G Maiden, 1,900m AW), January 4, Deauville

Owner : Gérard Augustin-Normand
Trainer : Simone Brogi
Breeder : Franklin Finance
Rider : Ioritz Mendizabal

Unlucky on the same course and distance for his debut, when outpaced and checked at a crucial stage, Beautot (Le Havre) was sent favourite for his second trial and his rider made sure he wasn't to be interfered with this time with a nice 2 draw. The race looked in the bag 2 furlongs out indeed but the beginner Myholydream (Holy Roman Emperor) wasn't about to give that away and closed fast only to lose by a short head.

The homebred Beautot is the 3rd foal out of Sallen (Oratorio), a Listed placed over 2,500m at Deauville, herself probably the best foal out of Mackenzie’s Friend (Selkirk), a sister to Grand Prix du Chantilly (Gr2) and Prix d’Hédouville (Gr3) winner Allied Powers (Invincible Spirit).

After Beautot, Sallen gace a Le Havre filly –all her offspring is by the leading French sire- now in training with Yann Barberot. Beautot is a brother to Mortrée (Le Havre), winner of three races to date and in training with Jess Parize.

COLONIA (F3, Main picture), FRA by Champs Elysées ex Clara Luna (Muhtathir)
Prix de la Perdrière (3yo F Maiden, 1,900m AW), January 4, Deauville

Owners : Haras d’Etreham et Maurice Lagasse
Trainer : Fabrice Chappet
Breeders : Haras d’Etreham et Gestüt zur Kuste
Rider : Tony Piccone

Third for her debut in the female version of the debut race of Beautot (cf. ci-dessus), Colonia (Champs Elysées) was pushed early enough in the straight to overcome Minnehaha (Poet’s Voice) and then hold off a fast closing Folle de Toi Esqua (Literato).

Colonia was twice consigned at Arqana Deauville, only to be bought back on both occasions for €14,000 € as a yearling and €17,000 the following year, while her Kendargent brother was sold €80,000 by Highflyer Bloodstock at Arqana last August. Clara Luna (Muhtathir), Colonia's dam, is an unraced sister to the good miler Don Bosco (Barathea), distant relative of a great Juddmonte dynasty, that of Irish Oaks (Gr1) winner Bourbon Girl, from which trace Daring Miss and Apogee, and most recently the great mare Enable (Nathaniel), the last winner of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Gr1).

RADJA (C3), FRA by Rajsaman ex Gone South (Zamindar)
Prix Madrine (3yo C&G Maiden, 1,500m AW), January 6, Chantilly

Owner-Breeder : Écurie du haras de Quetieville
Trainer : Henri-Alex Pantall
Rider : Aurélien Lemaître

5th for his debut at Chantilly over 9 furlongs, just beating Balleroy, winner of his maiden since then, and then 6th in Deauville over 1,500m, Radja (Rajsaman) opened his account over Chantilly's all-weather track. He went by the leading Safe Breaker (Elusive City) two out and was almsot overcome by an experienced Arguin (Manduro) but finally held on to prevail by a short head.

Radja is the third foal out of the maiden mare Gone South (Zamindar), whom older sister by Linda’s Lad made €2,500 as a maiden at Arqana.

Their dam Dawna (Polish Precedent) won a Listed handicap in Britain and she's a sister to 1987 Prix Foy (Gr3) winner Ordinance (Henbit).

After Radja, her only winner to date, Gone South gave two foals : a filly named Joshua’s Star (Joshua Tree) in 2016 and her full brother Joshua’s Tyfoon, for her new owner Kamal Al Bahou.

STYLE PRESA (F3), FRA by Style Vendome ex Sorpresa (Pleasant Tap)
Prix Delmonte (3yo F Maiden, 1,500m AW), January 6, Chantilly

Owner-Breeder : Écurie d’Haspel
Trainer : Rodolphe Collet
Rider : Gregory Benoist

A sister to triple Sun Chariot Stakes (Gr1) winner Sahpresa (Sahm) for trainer Rodolphe Collet, Style Presa (Style Vendôme) began her career with a 3rd place but she won all the way for her second trial: drawn 2, she had to be checked enterint the first turn but came by cosily in the straight to overcome the leading Heads Together (Kodiac) on the bit ans score comfortably while Rock Music (Elusive City) was finishing very fast in 3rd.

Style Presa is one of the best foals by her dam since Sahpresa, along with Senator Sam (Country By Gold), a 5 times winner in Scandinavia. There's also a Rajsaman colt and a Zanzibari colt born in 2017 at the haras d’Haspel in Normandy, breeder-owner of the filly.

BEYOND MY DREAMS (C3), (IRE) by Dream Ahead ex Street Romance (Street Cry)
Prix de Chasseloup (3yo Maiden, 1,300m AW), January 15, Chantilly

Owner : Mrs. Jacques Cygler
Trainer : Henri-Alex Pantall
Breeder : Hubert Mazeaud
Rider : Aurélien Lemaître

Beyond My Dreams (Dream Ahead) went from the mile to 6 1/2 furlongs to win his first race at Chantilly, the only course he knows so far!

he was kept behind by Aurelien Lemaitre from a heated enough field of 13 maiden runners, with the "serial maiden" Out of System (Makfi), finally 2nd once again for his 6th attempt. He wouldn't bow so easily as he first held off an aggressive Parigote (Dream Ahead), who was racing for the 5th time already. One will also take note of Arguin (Manduro)'s nice closing finish in 4th...

Beyond My Dreams was bought as a weanling at Deauville for €10,000 by bloodstock agent Paul Nataf. His elder sister Mastercraftsman, named Queen Agdal, hadn't won her two handicaps at Chantilly and then Compiègne, back then.

This very good and rich family traces back to 1973, the year Frénétique (Tyrant) was bred by Roland de Chambure and Alec Head's Écurie Aland. The filly was sold to race to famous breeder Michel Henochsberg, who gave her to train to Maurice Zilber. She won the classic Listed Prix des Lilas at Chantilly over a mile, as the race had been the pattern to create the Prix de Sandringham (Gr2) to honour an official visit of Her Majesty Elizabeth II. From Frénétique came a few Group performers and indeed Groupe winners' Dams, amongst others for Wertheimer & Frère or in Japan …

FOLLE DE TOI ESQUA (F3), FRA by Literato ex Une Maille Esqua (Maille Pistol)
Prix Biribi (Maiden, 3F, 1,900m AW), January 26, Chantilly

Owner : Julien Carayon (pictured, right)
Trainer : Julien Carayon
Breeder : Laurent Jamault
Rider : Eddy Hardouin

Folle de Toi Esqua (Literato) deserved her first win after two just failed attempts behind Madulain (Paolini) by half a length and Colonia (Champs Elysées) by a short head. She finally made it at Chantilly  for her 7th attempt already. Her dam Une Maille Esqua (Maille Pistol) never raced, but her first foal is the 4yo Elusive Esqua (Youmzain), who started her racing career last Autumn in Compiegne by a 3rd over hurdles.

It is indeed a jumpers' family originating as Cover Girl (Beyssac), Folle de Toi Esqua's 2nd dam, is out of Pampa Girl (Pampabird), a sister to the crack chaser Urga (Baby Turk), who made almost €900,000 in the 90s.

Folle de Toi Esqua waited long this time to make her move early in the straight, in the middle of the track, and she bravely got the better of O Fortuna (Myboycharlie), beaten by three parts of a length, while Paname (Siyouni), from the midpack, finished well in third at a neck.

BUSTER (C3), FRA by Invincible Spirit ex Comique (Distorted Humor)
Prix Artus (Maiden, C&G3, 1,900m AW), January 26, Chantilly

Owner : Wertheimer&Frère
Trainer : Carlos Laffon-Parias
Breeder : Wertheimer&Frère
Rider : Maxime Guyon

Buster (Invincible Spirit) flirted with his first victory on three occasions and once again he was almost beaten there as My Pleasure (Lethal Force) took time to gather momentum but then just failed on the post, beaten a short head. Buster however had started early as he went straight to the fore vacating the stalls and was pushed aheaed entering the last, long straight.

Bred by Wertheimer&Frère, Buster is the son of an American-bred winner Comique (Distorted Humor) who also gave another winner, 4yo Hilarant (Azamour), sold last Summer for €12,000 at Arqana to trainer Jean-Luc Beaunez.

Comique is a daughter of the good Corrazona (El Gran Senor), who was trained by Criquette Head and won the Prix des Réservoirs (Gr3) and the Prix Vanteaux (Gr3) before seizing her Gr1 victory in the States.