€135,000 Sagan (Gr3): Shika du Berlais opens account on Group test

Saturday, 18 May 2024, Auteuil Racecourse (Paris). – The €135,000 Prix Sagan 3-years-old Fillies Hurdle (Gr3) is the first French Group race for 3-year-olds. This renewal featured seven starters with the favourite being Sobriquette (Goliath du Berlais), winner of the Auricula 3yo Fillies Hurdle on her debut ahead of Kirakine (Muhtathir) and Shika du Berlais (Born To Sea), whom she faced again here. She was second to Olympic Story in the Girofla 3yo Fillies Hurdle (L), again ahead of Shika du Berlais, and was attempting the distance beyond 2 miles for the first time.

Née en Bleue (Saint des Saints), who had won the Wild Monarch 3yo Fillies Hurdle on her debut, led the field for her first attempt at the highest level. She set the pace ahead of a small group led by Sobriquette, Kirakine, and Shika du Berlais. The Papot-family-bred filly did not waste time, covering the 3rd and 2nd last kilometre in 1’9” and 1’12”7. She was caught at the final turn by her three stalkers but could not hold on. A duel ensued between Shika du Berlais and Sobriquette, with the former outpacing her rival in the run-in. Representing Pierre and Hugo Pilarski, Shika du Berlais won by six lengths, running the last 5 furlongs in 1’8”6, the whole 17.5f affair on a 1’10”7 km rate. Irisante (Tai Chi), who had waited at the rear, came in third four lengths behind, with Kirakine further back.

Shika du Berlais is bred by Jean-Marc Lucas' Haras du Berlais. She is out of the champion mare Nikita du Berlais (Poliglote), winner of the Léon Rambaud Hurdle (Gr2) and the Georges de Talhouët-Roy Hurdle (Gr3), and second in the Grande Course de Haies d’Auteuil (Gr1).

The mare has also produced two very good hurdlers before, Matilda du Berlais (Martaline) and Angela du Berlais (Great Pretender). Batman du Berlais (Nirvana du Berlais) was born in 2022.