Maiden winners Weekly (April 17-23)

24 April 2017

Maiden winners Weekly (April 17-23)

Photos scoopdyga.com

Every Tuesday, we focus on the maiden winners of the previous week on France Galop racecourses, an opportunity to learn a little bit more on tomorrow’s champions ...

KENTISH WALTZ (f2), IRE by Dandy Man and Imelda Mayhem (Byron)
Prix du Premier Pas (Unraced 2yo, 1,000m Turf), Thursday April 20th, Chantilly

Owners: Susan Davis & Melissa O'Neill
Trainer: Eoghan O'Neill
Breeder: Ballyhane Stud
Rider: Fabrice Véron

Bought €18,000 at Tattersalls Ireland September Yearlings Sale, Kentish Waltz was pushed early on to keep up with the leading group but once she found momentum, she passed Hautot (Zoffany) and White Feather (Bated Breath) to score by 2 lengths with La Canche (Le Havre) finishing well in her trail for second place and a brave White Feather third.
Kentish Waltz is the second foal out of Imelda Mayhem, a winner at 2 in Ripon and Ffos Las, by Dandy Man (Mozart), a home sire at the filly’s breeder Ballyhane Stud in Ireland. Dandy Man was a good sprinter for Godolphin.
Kentish Waltz's family traced in Australia with Makybe Diva, a triple winner of the Melbourne Cup, and closer to us in Europe with Famous Name, a Prix du Jockey Club winner.
The winner's second dam Halland Park Girl (Primo Dominie) won a Listed event on 6 furlongs at 2 when trained by juveniles’ master Richard Hannon, and did not stay the mile in the One Thousand Guineas at 66/1 the following year, but she gave six winners after that at stud!

SHAKEEL (c3), FRA by Dalakhani and Shamiyra (Medicean)
Prix de Ferrières (3yo maiden, colts and geldings, 2,000m Turf), Thursday April 20, Chantilly

Owner: S.A. Aga Khan
Trainer: Alain de Royer Dupré
Breeder: S.A. Aga Khan
Rider: Christophe Soumillon

Third for his debut last November at Saint-Cloud, then third again for his return behind the good Plumatic and Malkoboy (Rajsaman), Shakeel finally opened his account at Chantilly by taking his revenge on the latter. Always well placed, he took the lead handily about two out and was pushed away, although the second Malkoboy never let go and passed the post ¾ of a length behind him.
Shakeel’s dam Shamiyra did not run and she was sold €190,000 at Arqana Breeding Sale after the birth of this first foal, while in foal to Kendargent. That younger brother Shamdor is also in training with Alain de Royer Dupré. Since then, Shamiyra has given a son by Oasis Dream sold as a weanling for €85,000, again at Arqana.

Main entries : Prix du Jockey Club (Gr1), Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris (Gr1).

ESTELLE MA BELLE (f3), FRA by Air Chief Marshall and Ozalid (Rudimentary)
Prix de Croissy (3yo maiden, Fillies, 2,000m Turf), Thursday April 20, Chantilly

Owners: Patrick Bonnan, Tony Castanheira, Maurice Hassan, Jacques Urman, Pascal Renault.
Trainer : Tony Castanheira
Breeders: Patrick Bonnan & Maurice Hassan
Rider: Gérald Mossé

Estelle Ma Belle was racing for the 4th time. For her 2yo debut in Chantilly, she finished fourth just behind Djamba (Dalakhani), second for her return at Maisons-Laffitte lately behind Middle East and Bijin. This winter in Deauville on the PSF, Estelle was third in the race won by Rythmique, a Prix Penelope (Gr3) third on Sunday. Then she finished third, closer still, less than a length behind Godolphin’s Indian Skies, entered in the same Prix Penelope until the declaration stage ... However, Estelle Ma Belle has completely dominated this Prix de Croissy, which she led all the way to win handily with a good lead on Avocate (Lawman), the Wertheimers’ filly. Her rating jumped from 82 to 86lbs thanks to this success.
Her dam Ozalid won a Hurdle race at Pau. She then gave eleven foals, four of which have won. Her 2yo filly by Sinndar, named Ozalida, is also in training with Tony Castanheira.

Main entries: The Gurkha Coolmore Prix Saint Alary (Gr1), Prix de Diane Longines (Gr1).

ENLIGHTED (f3), (IRE) by Invincible Spirit and Flash Dance (Zamindar)
Prix Nobiliary (3yo Maiden Fillies, 1,600m turf), Thursday, April 20, Chantilly

Owner: Wertheimer & Frère
Trainer: Freddy Head
Breeder: Wertheimer & Frère
Jockey: Ludovic Boisseau

Third at Argentan on 2,100m after finishing fifth for her debut on the Chantilly Fibresand course, Enlighted benefitted from her apprentice Ludovic Boisseau 5lbs allowance for her return over the mile, but the way the Wertheimer&Frere filly beat the front-running Sri Prada (Air Chief Marshall) and her stable mate Guerrière (Invincible Spirit) may suggest that this victory by a length and a quarter will not be her last. She was kept off the pace for a while and was the last to move but the Freddy Head-trained bay filly won the race in a flash of speed.
The winner's dam Flash Dance was not bred by the Wertheimer as she was bought €160,000 at Arqana breeding sale to become champion mare Goldikova’s pacemaker. A Listed winner in Germany, also a second in the Prix Madame Jean Couturié (L), Vichy’s Oaks, for owner Henri Malard and trainer Henri-Alex Pantall before that transfer, Flash Dance later finished fourth in one Prix d'Ispahan (Gr1) won by Goldikova, between Rajsaman and Byword!
As an Arqana October Yearling, she had been sold €18,000. Her dam Resquilleuse (Dehere), a winner at Bordeaux, was a sister to Prix de Guiche (Gr3) winner Roi de Rome.

WREN'S DAY (c3), USA by Medaglia d'Oro and Season's Greetings (Ezzoud)
Prix Empery (3year Maidens Colts&Geldings, 1,600m turf), Thursday, April 20, Chantilly

Owner: Godolphin SNC
Trainer: André Fabre
Breeder: Darley Stud Management
Jockey: Mickaël Barzalona

One of the three beginners in this maiden, a pick of the paddock and also a betting favourite, Wren's Day took over George The Prince (My Risk) about one and a half furlong out and was soon out of reach, notably for the second-placed Guanacaste (Whipper), who pipped Shams Brazilero (Shamardal) on the post.
Season's Greetings, dam of Wren's Day, was one of the best French sprinters in 2000 and 2001 when in training with Carlos Laffon-Parias, and she has already gave a filly, Grace Hall (Empire Maker), sold $95,000 as a Keeneland yearling, and sold again for $3.2m at Fasig-Tipton breeding sales, two years later in 2012 after winning the Spinaway Stakes (Gr1).

Main entries : Prix du Jockey Club (Gr1)