Cléopâtre: Place du Carrousel leads Al Shaqab 1-2 in French Oaks trial

Friday, April 29, 2022, Saint-Cloud Racecourse (Hauts-de-Seine). - The Prix Cléopâtre (Gr3) has not been the most successful French Oaks trial lately, but many winners went on to become major players such as Etoile (Siyouni), a Gr1 winner in Canada, Baltic Baroness (Shamardal) or Galikova (Galileo), winners of the Prix Vermeille (Gr1), or Dalkala (Giant’s Causeway), who took the Prix de l’Opéra (Gr1).

The Cléopâtre/Diane double could well be for Place du Carrousel (Lope de Vega), whose win is quite remarkable for two reasons. After her debut 2nd place over the all-weather at 2, she's come back two weeks ago and won easily by two lengths at Fontainebleau but was bumped by another runner after the post, which apparently did not bother her that much. She was the favourite in this Prix Cléopâtre, and was first held in the rear, leaving Regalis (Dubawi) to lead the field. Outpaced early in the final straight, she finally found momentum and joined her stablemate for Al Shaqab Racing, Samahram (Sea The Moon), and took over to score by almost a length while behind the Al Shaqab exacta, the only foreigner in the race, also a Liest-winner at Newmarket, Kawida (Sir Percy) finished third after trailing Samahram.

Place du Carrousel is by the Prix du Jockey Club winner Lope de Vega (Shamardal) out of Traffic Jam (Duke of Marmalade), a multiple Listed and Group-placed, when trained by Nicolas Clément who saddled her to win the Prix du Conseil de Paris (Gr2). Nicolas Clément also trained Place du Carrousel's Dubawi sister Dubawi, aged 2, Nariman Point.

These two first foals out of Traffic Jam proved very popular in the sales. Place du Carrousel was sold for €260,000 to Mandore International Agency for Al Shaqab Racing at Arqana. The following, year, at Goffs, Tina Rau Bloodstock paid €200,000 € for the younger sister.

This bloodline counts many performers with the likes of the 4th dam Hiwaayati (Shadeed), also the dam of Hoity Toity (Darshaan), who gave Lillie Langtry (Danehill), a dual Group 1-winner, also the dam of the great Minding (Galileo) and ’Empress Josephine (Galileo).