€80,000 Aumale: Blue Rose Cen in a dash

September 8, 2022, ParisLongchamp Racecourse (Paris). – After Tigrais, winner of the Prix La Rochette (Gr3), on Sunday on the same course, Christopher Head saddled a new Group 3-winner in the Prix d'Aumale (Gr3) with Blue Rose Cen (Churchill).

Once again, the British raiders went fast ahead with Heavenly Breath (Dark Angel) and Liftoff (New Bay) showing the way to the filly homebred by Yeguada Centurion Slu. When her rider, Aurélien Lemaître, asked her to go, she jumped off to finally win by a length and a half ahead of Heavenly Breath. Start Me Up (Pastorius) produced a nice final effort in inside to complete the podium.

Already noticed for her final touches, Blue Rose Cen (Churchill) impressed again. As in Deauville, when second in the EBF Criterium (Listed), she completed at least one furlong under 11". On Thursday, she took 10''88 to cover the second last section. To finish off her trip, she was again the fastest in 11.62 seconds.

By Churchill (Galileo), like the Prix du Jockey Club 2022 winner Vadeni, Blue Rose Cen is the first foal out of Queen Blossom (Jeremy), victorious for her debut in Ireland at 2, then winner of a Group 3 at 3, again in Ireland, before continuing her career in the USA at the end of the year and winning a Group 3 at 5. The second dam is Mark of an Angel (Mark of Esteem), a Group 3-placed in Ireland.

The latter has had a large number of foals for sale, including Queen Blossom, bought for €15,000 as a yearling by PJ Prendergast at Goffs in Ireland before returning at the end of her career to Tattersalls breeding sales in 2018, where she went to Durcan Bloodstock for £110,000. She joined Yeguada Centurion SLU, which sent her to Churchill in 2019.