French Maiden Winners Weekly (Dec.11th-31st)

DUQUE (C2), FRA by Elusive City ex Dariena (Highest Honor)
Prix de l’Amirauté (Unraced 2C&G, 1,500m AW), December 14, Deauville

Owners : Maurice Lagasse, Haras d’Étreham and Riviera Equine
Trainer : David Smaga
Breeders : Haras d’Étreham, Gestüt Zur Kuste and Riviera Equine
Rider : Maxime Guyon

A decisive first for Duque (Elusive City) who led all the way with his great strides. A bad start made the favourite My Pleasure (Lethal Force)make up quite some ground in the backstretch to join the eventual winner and eventually fade in the last two furlongs, as Duque went out of reach for Grisbi (Kendargent), never far from the leaders.

Duque's dam Dariena (Highest Honor) was bought at Arqana in December 2008 for €500,000. She was out of training from Zahra Aga Khan's yard with a Longchamp under her belt as a sister to the classic champion Darjina (Zamindar). She has since then given Speedrider (Dansili), exported to Spain after a French career combining handicaps and claimers, and he'd been sold a yearling for a whopping €190,000, then she foaled Duque five years later and a Makfi filly who's about to become a 2yo.

MADE TO LEAD (F2), FRA by Linngari ex Magic Artiste (Art Sebal)
Prix de la Charentonne (Unraced 2F, 1,500m AW), December 14, Deauville

Owner : Sarah Lellouche
Trainer : Elie Lellouche
Breeders : Haras du Taillis and Bernhard Wenger
Rider : Clément Lecœuvre

The five leading debutantes entering the last straight filled the five first placings, only in a reverse order as Made to Lead (Linngari) took the others over in the end, even though the aptly named filly had been the fastest out of the stalls. She had to veer left in the straight to eventually make her way and outstay Marmarah (Invincible Spirit), who did oppose some resistance and finished with the winner three lengths ahead of the pack.

Made to Lead had been puchased only €3,000at the Lion d’Angers Osarus sales by breeder-owner-trainer Anne-Marie Poirier. Her dam Magic Artiste (Art Sebal) won 9 races in the East of France and in Germany, where Waldemar Himmel trained her. Made to Lead is her 3rd foal and her first winner. One can trace back this family to Mirio and Misbegotten, more recently the excellent chasing mare Loulia (Cricket Ball), 2nd in the Prix Maurice Gillois-Grand Steeple-Chase des 4ans (Gr1) won at Auteuil in 2008 by Oculi.

PETITE ALICE (F2), FRA by Rip Van Winkle ex Petite Sophie (Linamix)
Prix de la Hauquerie - A (2F Maiden, 1,900m AW), December 15, Deauville

Owner : Hugues Rousseau
Trainer : Hubert de Nicolaÿ
Breeder : Hugues Rousseau
Rider : Christophe Soumillon

Fast out with the leaders following the favoured Royale Gift (Palace Episode), Petite Alice (Rip van Winkle) took some time to get in stride in the last straight but nevertheless prevailed with assurance. After a sluggish start and some urge fiorm her rider, Maple Sweets (Air Chief Marshall) on the contrary spared as much ground as she could to come back to finish 3rd ahead of an eyecatching 4th Blessed Kiss (Kentucky Dynamite).

Petite Alice had failed on this very track for her debut in October. She's racing for her breeder Hugues Rousseau, a manager for Arqana Trotting sales who bought the filly's dam Petite Sophie (Linamix) in December 2014 for €20,000, in fola to Red Rocks, under his stud farm's name haras du Mont Goubert. The resulting colt was later sold €7,000 as a yearling. Petite Alice is the following foal.

It is an amusing family as Petite Sophie, a maiden, is by Linamix out of a winner for Lagardere named Walkoskaya (Sicyos), sister to a few Group winners from a Wildenstein family of Walensee and her champion son Westerner, amongst others, and also the late sire Voix du Nord (Perrault) so dear to many AQPS breeders in Burgundy.

MADULAIN (F2), FRA by Paolini ex Mandel Island (Turtle Island)
Prix de la Hauquerie - B (2F Maiden, 1,900m AW), December 15, Deauville

Owner : Alexander Tamagni-Bodmer
Trainer : Henri-Alex Pantall
Breeder : Antoinette Tamgni and Cocheese Bloodstock
Rider : Christophe Soumillon

This 2nd lot of the Prix de la Hauquerie pretty much ended the same way the previous did with Madulain (Paolini) never far form the pacesetters, namely a gallant Folle de Toi Esqua (Literato), who made her move early enough in the straight but proved unable to hold off her rival, while Sprinkling (Quality Road) finished well in 3rd after trailing the formers.

Madulain was sold €15,000 at the Osarus sales in 2016, but her dam Mandel Island (Turtle Island) has just been sold €2,000 in foal to Elvstroem at the Arqana Breeding sales in Deauville. A winner in Germany, Mandel Island is a sister to the famed sire Manduro (Monsun) and the mare Mandela (Acatenango), dam of a Japanese 2,000 Guineas second, World Ace (Deep Impact), only beaten by the great Gold Ship…

Mandel Island however foaled 7 individuals who scored altogether only 4 times, Mandulain included.

BALLEROY (C2), FRA by Le Havre ex Heaven’s Command (Priolo)
Prix du Pont de la Pierre (2C&G Maiden, 1,900m AW), December 15, Deauville

Owner : Gérard Augustin-Normand
Trainer : Pia Brandt
Breeder : Écurie Skymarc Farm
Rider : Maxime Guyon

An elegant Balleroy (Le Havre) dominated from pillar to post -a rare feat this week- but had to dig deep to hold off Mr Satchmo (Mr Sidney). Both were racing for the 2nd time. Balleroy had finished 6th in a tricky race, finisheing well in 6th behind Godolphin's Mount Pelion (Raven’s Pass) in Chantilly for his debut in November.

Balleroy was bred by Skymarc Farm, owner of his dam Heaven’s Command (Priolo), who's already foald Listed winners. He was sold like most of his siblings in Deauville. Sylvain Vidal, representing Gérard Augustin-Normand, paid €35,000 to secure him. Sinc ethen, a 4yo sister to Balleroy by Dark Angel, winner at Limoges, made €100,000 at Goffs Ireland !

RIP THE TOP (c3), (IRE) by Rip Van Winkle ex Stefer (Johannesburg)
Prix de Roiville (3yo Maiden in 2017, 1,500m AW), December 16, Deauville

Owner : Naji Nahas
Trainer : David Smaga
Breeder : Robert Nahas
Rider : Mickaelle Michel

Not sold at €6,000 only in November, 3yo Rip the Top (Rip Van Winkle) took €18,912 with his first win, in this maiden restricted female jockeys as the only unraced runner. Rip the Top did not strat well and was still late as they were tunring for home but he followed a favoured On the Sea (Oasis Dream), whose rider Alison Massin, thinking the race was in the bag, stopped riding next to the post, hence offering Rip The Top an opportunity that he seized immediately.

Rip the Top is a bit lucky but his dam Stefer (Johannesburg) won the Prix Miesque (Gr3) at 2 for Wafic Saïd, a most celebrated owner on both sides of the Channel back in the 90's.

L’AMI PIERROT (g2), GB by Invincible Spirit ex Green Swallow (Green Tune)
Prix du Grand Chesnaie (Unraced 2C&G, 1,900m AW), December 16, Deauville

Owner : Rose de Ganay
Trainer : Nicolas Clément
Breeder : Newsells Park Stud
Rider : Stéphane Pasquier

Being drawn 15, L’Ami Pierrot (Invincible Spirit) did not start well but came back in the mix before reacing the final turn and went on to catch Aparat (Declaration of War) next to the post, leaving the others 4 lengths behind.

L’Ami Pierrot was purchased €85,000 at the August 2016 Arqana sales by agent Tina Rau and trainer Nicolas Clément. He's out of Green Swallow (Green Tune), who also foaled Yellow and Green (Monsun), winner of the Prix de Malleret (Gr2). No other foal has been registered so far. L’Ami Pierrot was gelded in August and hadn't been entered before that.

SHINING BRIGHT (F2), GER by Makfi ex Seven Shares (Peintre Célèbre)
Prix de la Gagnerie - A (Unraced 2F, 1,900m AW), December 16, Deauville

Owner : Jennifer Eubel
Trainer : Henk Grewe
Breeder : Gestüt Ohlerweiherhof
Rider : Antoine Hamelin

Shining Bright (Makfi) took over the leading pair Olympia (Le Havre) et Arin (Falco), who were struggling for a while, in the last 100 yards and scored comfortably.

Bred in Germany, Shining Bright was sold €20,000 as a weanling at the Arqana Breeding Sale in 2015 while her younger Henrythenavigator yearling sister made €8,000 at the Baden-Baden yearlings sale lately. Their dam Seven Shares (Peintre Célèbre) won a Listed envent in Milan and her 2nd dam Sappho (Windwurf) gave a few Group winners, but also River Charm (River Mist), winne ar Auteuil of the Prix Léon Rambaud Hurdle (Gr2).

VELMA VALENTO -Pictured above (F2), FRA by Dabirsim ex Bunny Lebowski (Echo of Light)
Prix de la Gagnerie - B (Unraced 2F, 1,900m AW), December 16, Deauville

Owner : Jocelyn Targett
Trainer : Christophe Ferland
Breeder : Jocelyn Targett
Rider : Enzo Corallo

Velma Valento (Dabirsim) also won this 2nd lot of the Prix de la Gagnerie beating the favourite Plume du Houlley (Planteur) who just held on for 2nd as Fira (Siyouni) was closing fast in the end.

Bred in France by Jocelyn Targett, Velma Valento did not go to the sales, unlike her younger Authorized sister in October at Arqana, where she was bought back for €18,000 by Haras du Logis. Their dam Bunny Lebowski (Echo of Light) won once at La Teste before going to stud. She's a sister to Oaks d'ITalia (Gr2), 2nd Wadaat (Diktat), , and their dam is herself out of the great broodmare Great Revival, dam of Walzerkoenigin, who foaled the German Derby winner Wiener Waltzer and the sire Walzertakt.

MONEY SISTER (F2), GB by Harbour Watch ex Broughtons Flight (Hawk Wing)
Prix du Rond Fille de l’Air (Maiden, 2F, 1,500m AW), December 19, Chantilly

Owner : Ferdinando Fratini
Trainer : Attilio Giorgi
Breeder : Michael Broughton
Rider : Mickaël Barzalona

Beaten by three lengths, then by a short head by two individual Khaled Abdullah aftr she was claimed when 3rd over Deauville's all-weather, Money Sister (Harbour Watch) had started her career at Naples. She won her first race in a very different setting since that day at Chantilly was so foggy you couldn't name the leaders before the last two furlongs. Money Sister stuck to the rail in midfield and we found her well ahead a furlong out  to keep off a fast closing Parigote (Dream Ahead), finally beaten half a length.

The winning filly cost 8,000 Guineas at Tattersalls October 2016, when her first trainer Francesco Santella bought her. her dam Broughtons Flight (Hawk Wing), a maiden, is a sister to 5 winners and she gave Jack’s Lantern (Pastoral Pursuits), winner of six races for trainer Francesco Santella. Money Sister's 3rd dam is also dam of Carmita (Caerleon), a French Listed-placed over 1 1/2m for trainer Alain de Royer Dupré, and 2nd dam of European champion 2yo filly of 2003 Attraction(Efisio), winner of the Irish and Englisg One Thousand Guineas plus 3 other Group1s including the Coronation Stakes (Gr1)…

Broughtons Flight also gave a 2016 filly by Lethal Force and a 2017 colt by Cable Bay.

NAIF (C2), FRA by French Fifteen ex Safia (Diktat)
Prix du Rond du Manège (Maiden, 2C&G, 1,500m AW), December 19, Chantilly

Owner-Breeder : Abdullah bin Khalifa al Thani
Trainer : Yann Durepaire
Rider : Ioritz Mendizabal

2nd at Montauban after an usuccessful debut at Bordeaux, then 6th at Chantilly for his first try over the all-weather, but beaten by less than 2 lengths in a very tight finish –he could just as well have finished 3rd on that day-, Naif (French Fifteen) moved earlier this time as he chased home the leading New Look (Style Vendôme), who gave up in the last strides and let Naif beat El Manifico (High Chaparral), who came wide, by half a length.

Naif's dam Safia (Diktat) has just been sold at Arqana breeding stock sale for €4,500 to Tarik Driss in foal to French Fifteen. A Champion in Qatar, Safia had been bought €37,000 as a yearling in Deauville in 2008. This is her 2nd foal and her 2nd winner. Her dam Mia Stella (Courtroom) has also foaled Sokar (Slickly), twice a Listed winner, and her 3rd dam won the Prix Pénélope (Gr3) and she is a sister to champion and influential sire Sicambre.