€80,000 Cléopâtre (Gr3): Halfday in full gear

Friday, 19 April 2024, Saint-Cloud racecourse (Hauts-de-Seine). - The €80,000 Prix Cléopâtre (Gr3) is a copy of the Prix Pénélope (Gr3) staged less than three weeks earlier under similar conditions, that is 10.5f. The unbeaten favourite, Fun With Flags (Zoffany), launched her challenge in the straight, attacking War Chimes (Summer Front), who had led from the turn and was the first to hug the rail. However, another returnee, Halfday (Lope de Vega), seized control in the final hundred metres, stretching out to a two-and-a-half-length victory over Fun With Flags, who in turn was a length clear of War Chimes.

Halfday, who placed second on her debut in December over 9.5f on the all-weather track at Deauville, took her revenge and opened her account less than three weeks later, albeit over one mile on the all-weather at Chantilly.

Entered in the Prix Saint-Alary and the Prix de Diane Longines (Gr1), the Wertheimer filly made a profound impression and is undoubtedly set to compete at the highest level again. Halfday’s dam, Daytime (Frankel), raced twice, settling for third over 1m4f at Maisons-Laffitte in her three-year-old May campaign. However, she descends from the champion mare Midday (Oasis Dream), also bred by Juddmonte. Daytime thus joined the Wertheimer breeding operation shortly thereafter, giving birth to her first winner at five. She has since produced a yearling filly by Le Havre, who is with trainer André Fabre, and a male foal by Wootton Bassett. Midday’s most accomplished offspring to date is Midterm (Galileo), who placed second in the Prix Niel (Gr2) after winning the Classic Trial at Sandown (Gr3). He later had a respectable career in Australia, where he also managed to secure a Group 3 win.