Maiden winners weekly (11-24/9)

FLAT

TRUE ROMANCE (C2), FRA by George Vancouver ex Hallen (Midyan)
Prix Pharel (2C&G Maiden, 1,300m Turf), September 11, Maisons-Laffitte

Owners: Samuel Hadida, Haras des Adelis, Thierry and Danielle de la Héronnière.
Trainer: Francis Graffard
Breeders: Thierry and Danielle de la Héronnière
Rider: Maxime Guyon

True Romance (George Vancouver) merged alongside English raider The Lamplighter (Elusive City) two furlongs out and proved irresistible thereafter. Over a sticking ground, he scored by three lengths over Cabotin (Kendargent), who didn’t seem to get a clear run in between horses.
It was for True Romance a second trial after an excellent second place for his debut at Deauville a neck behind Diamond Vendôme, who went on by finishing 4^th in the Prix des Chênes (Gr3).
True Romance was bought back 30,000 € at Osarus yearling sale in September 2016. He’s the sixth foal out of the maiden mare Hallen (Midyan), which has already given four winners before him, including Sweet Alabama (Johannesburg), the dam of Cavale Dorée (Sunday Break), winner of the Prix du Calvados (Gr3), exported to the USA where she finished third in the Breeders'Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (Gr1).
Sweet Alabama won three races, including a claimer at Castera-Verduzan, where she changed ownership.

FOU RIRE (F2), IRE by Iffraaj ex Dolled Up (Whipper)
Prix Soya (2F Maiden, 1,300m Turf), September 11, Maisons-Laffitte

Owner: Anne-Marie Hayes
Trainer: Fabrice Chappet
Breeder: Knocktoran Stud
Rider: Cristian Demuro

The winner of the female version of this maiden began her career at the end of July with a second place, two lengths behind Polydream in the Prix de Lisieux. She then followed the same path than the winner of her debut race, finishing 7^th in the Shadwell Prix du Calvados (Gr3), over 7 furlongs, over ten lengths behind Polydream.
Fou Rire won this maiden beating Red Duma (Air Chief Marshall), a reliable yardstick since she ended up second for the fourth time in that many races. She was pushed forward two furlongs out alongside Jukebox Star (Jukebox Jury) and dominated near the pole to score comfortably by half a length over a staying Red Duma.
Fou Rire's dam Dolled Up (Whipper) won the Prix du Bois (Gr3) at 2 and was placed in the Prix d'Arenberg (Gr3), the Critérium de Maisons-Laffitte (Gr2) and the Prix Robert Papin (Gr2) before finishing fourth in the Prix Morny (Gr1). She is a sister to Zeiting (Zieten), dam of Zut Alors (Pivotal), dam of the winner of the 2017 French 1,000 Guineas (Gr1) Précieuse (Tamayuz).
Fou Rire’s yearling brother by Lope de Vega is for sale at Tattersalls in October.

PIKA'S TRAVERSE (H3), GB by Cacique ex Montaria (Dashing Blade)
Prix de l’Hôtel des Monnaies (3C&G Maiden, 2,100m Turf), September 13, Saint-Cloud

Owner: Christopher Stedman
Trainer: Francis Graffard
Breeder: Ian Wilson
Rider: Pierre-Charles Boudot

Pika's Traverse (Cacique) made up for a sluggish start by taking the lead of this 16 horses field before the first turn but had plenty in the tank in the end to sail away and keep 2 easy lengths over the unraced Tsavo (Frankel), closing from last to take a promising 2^nd place. The 3rd Great Dream (Muhtathir) also finished nicely over a ground some would have rated heavy.
It was a third attempt for this Francis Graffard-trained gelding, a pick of the paddock in this mixed field. Fourth in April in Chantilly for his debut behind eventual Juddmonte Grand Prix of Paris (Gr1) winner Shakeel and Prix Frédéric de Lagrange-Vichy Derby (L) winner Malkoboy, he didn’t race for three months and had just made a comeback with Hayley Turner on this course before scoring for the first time here.
Pika's Traverse was sold three times to date: he made 52,000 Guineas as a weanling at Tattersalls, then again 52,000 Guineas one year later, and finally €45,000 at Arqana breeze-up sales, consigned by the Channel Consignment (Jamie Railton & Alban Chevalier du Fau).
His Germanbred, unraced dam Montaria (Dashing Blade) is a sister to prominent sire Monsun and gave three winners until then, including Prix Joubert (L) winner Piracicaba (Dansili), Dansili and Cacique being full brothers, Pika’s Traverse is out of the same crossing.

MA CHÉRIE (F3), (GB) by Galileo ex Zaneton (Mtoto)
Prix du Marché aux Fleurs (3F Maiden, 2.100m Turf), September 13, Saint-Cloud

Owners: Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier
Trainer: André Fabre
Breeders: Éric Puerari et Oceanic Bloodstock
Rider: Pierre-Charles Boudot

Always well placed, Ma Chérie (Galileo) took her time to find balance in the long straight but clearly dominated the field to win by two lengths over Segra (Shamardal). It was her second race, five months after her April debut in Chantilly, when a 4 lengths 6^th to Karishma and Spindrift. Ma Chérie was purchased € 480,000 as a yearling at Arqana August sales by Michael-Vincent O'Brien. In addition to being a Galileo girl, she is also a sister to champion mare Zagora (Green Tune) and Asmar (Cape Cross), second in the United Arab Emirates Derby won by Toast of New York in 2014 The yearling brother of Ma Chérie by Siyouni is listed for the next Arqana October sale.

BAILLOLET (C2), FRA by Le Havre ex Coutances (Shamardal)
Prix de Blaison (2C&G Maiden, 1,500m Turf), September 16, Maisons-Laffitte

Owner: Gérard Augustin-Normand
Trainer: Pia Brandt
Breeder: Franklin Finance
Rider: Cristian Demuro

Baillolet (Le Havre) took a slow start but quickly went on to trail Smart Move (Style Vendome) on the Stands’ side, then took off 2 fulongs out and then bravely held off  Infernal Majesty (Siyouni), which he beat by half a length.
Baillolet had finished second twice before, first in July in Chantilly behind Cascadian, subsequently second in the Prix François Boutin (L), then in Deauville again over 7 furlongs, behind Zyzzyva (Siyouni), who went on to finish third in the Prix des Chênes (Gr3).
This prominent French patron Gerard Augustin-Normand owned colt is out of Coutances (Shamardal), bought 90,000 Guineas as a yearling in 2009 by Sylvain Vidal at the Tattersalls sales of Newmarket. His dam Broadway Hit (Sadler's Wells) did not race, but she’s a sister of two champions, globetrotting Eagle Mountain (Rock of Gilbraltar) and the juvenile Sulk (Selkirk), winner of the Prix Marcel Boussac (Gr1). Their own dam Masskana (Darshaan) was out of the Aga Khan’s Masarika (Thatch), winner of the Prix Robert Papin (Gr1 at the time) and the French One Thousand Guineas (Gr1).
Coutances won a B race at Longchamp in May at 3 and was sent three years in a row to Le Havre, her owner's top sire. Her first foal, the filly Corville, has not yet won. After Baillolet, there is a yearling, then a foal by Rajsaman.

MASSINA (F2), FRA by Style Vendôme ex Mapiya (Green Tune)
Prix de la Butte aux Cailles (2F Maiden, 1,500m Turf), September 16, Maisons-Laffitte

Owner: Haras de la Pérelle
Trainer: Stéphane Wattel
Breeder: Haras de la Pérelle
Rider: Theo Bachelot

One of the three unraced fillies to take part in that juvenile fillies maiden race, Massina (Style Vendôme) was kept busy to the wire by second-placed Wisdom Mind (Dark Angel) and won by a neck.
She was homebred by German patron Jurgen Winter’s Haras de la Pérelle although her dam Mapiya (Green Tune) went on the sales ring twice without finding a new owner, once in foal to this filly, at Arqana breeding sales in 2014.
Massina is the third foal out of Mapiya after two other fillies including Mangaia (Orpen), who was claimed this summer in Deauville for €25,555 after finishing second and won for the first time since at Cavaillon for trainer Christophe Escuder.
After Massina, Mapiya gave her first colt, a son of Silver Frost.

STUDY OF MAN (C2), IRE by Deep Impact ex Second Happiness (Storm Cat)
Prix As d’Atout (Unraces 2yo C&G, 1,600m Turf), September 21, Saint-Cloud

Owner : Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd
Trainer : Pascal Bary
Breeder : Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd
Rider : Stéphane Pasquier

Drawn wide outside with stall N°13, Study of Man (Deep Impact) didn't wait long to join the leaders and was still with them entering the last straight as Ziyad (Rock of Gibraltar) quickly gave way while Near Gold (Dansili) was trying to flee. There wasn't much to argue though when Pasquier decided to let Study of Man go 2 furlongs out. He soon outpaced his rival and went on to win by two lengths.

Study of Man is a grandson to champion mare and broodmare Miesque (Nureyev), dam of Second Happiness (Storm Cat), who failed to win three times before entering stud. Study of Man is her 5th foal but only er 2nd winner after Tale of Life (Deep Impact), her full brother, born in 2012 et winner by 7 lengths for his debut at 2 in November, 2nd to New Bay in his second race, for his 3yo debut, and then well beaten in the French 2,000 Guineas, his last appearance in France… -Now trained by Graham Motion in the USA, ha was rwice placed in allowances last season.

Main entries : Epsom Derby (Gr1)

WITH YOU (F2), GB by Dansili ex In Clover (Inchinor)
Prix Ténébreuse (Unraced 2yo Fillies, 1,600m Turf), September 21, Saint-Cloud

Owner : George Strawbridge
Trainer : Freddy Head
Breeder : George Strawbridge
Rider : Aurélien Lemaître

A full sister to champion mare We Are (Dansili), With You just went alongside the leaders and outstayed them without breaking sweat to score by six lentgsh, Octeville (Le Havre) finishing well in second, hence winning the "other" race.

With We Are, trainer Freddy Head started only at 3 but the filly won the Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary (Gr1) for her third outing, only to be disqualified later on a postive test. She swiftly took her revenge however when landing the Prix de l'Opéra Longines (Gr1) the same year. With You's dam In Clover (Inchinor), a Listed winner and a 4th to Mandesha in the Prix d’Astarté (Gr1), is out of the Wertheimer dam Bellarida (Bellypha).

Notable Entries : Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac (Gr1)

JUMPS

MOZO GUAPO (G3), (IRE), by Roderic O'Connor ex Anacapri (Anabaa)
Prix Finot Hurdle-Poulains 1^st division (Unraced 3C&G), September 14, Auteuil

Owners: Carlos and Yann Lerner, Mrs Patrick Ades-Hazan, José Bruneau de la Salle, Gustav Faes
Coach: Carlos and Yann Lerner
Breeders: Succession Michel Henochsberg, JK Thoroughbreds, Mrs Patrick Ades-Hazan
Rider: Maximilien Farcinade

A very animated first division of the Prix Finot for males (twelve runners) with the fall of Lord Stark (Air Chief Marshall) at the 2^nd last as he was looming forward, a weakening pacesetter Tribalion (Myboycharlie) and a very brave Mozo Guapo (Roderic O'Connor) in the run-in who’d seemed to have lost the edge when Janidex (Saddex) took him on but nevertheless came back to win by a nose, both leaving 3^rd-placed Suroît (Linda's Lad) three lengths back.
Mozo Guapo had already run six times over the flat without winning, twice at 2. He had run well and was placed a few times, although ridden by five different jockeys.
He made € 42,000 at Arqana yearlings sales but one of his breeders, Mrs Ades-Hazan, elected to stay around. The yearling brother to Mozo Guapo by Camelot is presented by the Haras des Capucines at the next Arqana October sales.
Both are brothers to the excellent jumper Kemaliste (Shirocco) who won the Prix Alain and Gilles de Goulaine Hurdle (L), won this same day of the Prix Finot at Auteuil this year by Dalila du Seuil!
Anacapri (Anabaa), Mozo Guapo’s dam, was bred by Ian Fair and trained by Freddy Head before French bloodstock agent Alain Decrion bought her for 28,000 Guineas at Tattersalls after she’d won her debut and run three times. She was sold in foal to the Kutub foal Akiem, Gr1-placed in Germany.

MAGIC SAINT (G3), FRA, by Saint of the Saints ex Magic Poline (Trempolino)
Prix Finot Hurdle-Poulains 2^nd division  (Unraced 3C&G), September 14, Auteuil

Owner: John Dawson-Cotton
Trainer: Guillaume Macaire
Breeders: Sylviane Jeffroy, SCEA des Prairies, Philippe Cochard
Rider: Kevin Nabet

A slightly different race in this second division of the Prix Finot des Poulains, and time only one second longer, a marginal difference in these conditions. Scout Toujours (Tin Horse) went away early but then faded and fell in the back straight, as Magic Saint (Saint of the Saints) was taking over with Être Français (Anzillero). Both were still ahead entering the home straight but Magic Saint always had the upper hand, however, while a brave Être Français could not hold off Sugar Crush (Muhtathir), who finished well and was only beaten a neck by the winner.
Magic Saint was bought €90,000 at Arqana Autumn sale by his trainer Guillaume Macaire. It is the second foal out of Magic Poline, who won in Pau and was placed at Auteuil for trainer Arnaud Chaillé-Chaillé and owner Sylviane Jeffroy, who has bred Magic Saint along with SCEA des Prairies. Her first foal Liberatore (Poliglote) won over hurdles in Auteuil before finishing third in the Prix Aguado (Gr3) for trainer Jean-Paul Gallorini for Écurie Sagara.
After Magic Saint, Magic Poline gave a foal by Sunday Break aged 2, and another son of Saint of the Saints born in 2017.