€80,000 Cléopâtre: Two princesses claim the crown

Friday, April 21, 2023, Saint-Cloud Racecourse (Hauts-de-Seine). - Place du Carrousel (Lope de Vega), winner in the fall of the Prix de l'Opéra (Gr1), was the last winner of this Prix Cléopâtre (Gr3), contested on soft ground. No fourteenth title for trainer André Fabre who lined up the favourite Ottery (Dubawi) and Forelsket (New Approach), undefeated in two outings.

The visiting English filly Heartache Tonight (Recorder) led the hot race. One furlong out, the struggle was still undecided. Five fillies were lined up for the final sprint with Ottery, Heartache Tonight, Forelsket, Higgle (Sea The Stars) and Crown Princesse (Zarak), who came by without being hurried and proved to be the most resolute to win by a half-length. The filly is not entered in either the Prix de Diane Longines or the Prix Saint-Alary at this time.

Second, Elusive Princess (Martinborough) was never able to find a gap by the rail and was forced to go around the five fillies for a close finish. The overall time was 2'19''25. The tracking report is conclusive and confirms the visual impression left by Elusive Princess, who signed off with the fastest furlong run in 11'92 against 12'17 for the winner.

Bred by the Haras de Saint Julien and Regula Vannod, who retained ownership, Crown Princesse is by a fashionable sire, HH Aga Khan's homebred Zarak (Dubawi), son of the great champion mare Zarkava (Zamindar). The winning dam is the group-placed mare Lovemedo (Zafeen), sister of the Listed winner Mary's Precedent (Storming Home). It is easy to trace back in this pedigree to a branch that has made the whole World dream every year on the course and around the ring. The third dam of Crown Princess is none other than Allwaki (Miswaki), dam of Sottsass, winner of the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, and international Group 1 champions Sistercharlie, My Sister Nat, Anabaa's Creation, etc.