French maiden winners weekly (Oct. 2-8)

10 October 2017

Photos scoopdyga.com

Focus on the maiden winners of the past two weeks on the France Galop racecourses, an opportunity to discover some of tomorrow's champions ...

FLAT

SPADAY (F2), (IRE) by Exceed and Excel ex Beautifix (Bering)
Prix Banshee (Maiden, 2F, 1,200m Turf), October 2, Maisons-Laffitte

Owner : Wertheimer & Frère
Trainer : Carlos Laffon Parias
Breeder : Wertheimer & Frère
Rider : Maxime Guyon

Second to Darbanza for her debut at Fontainebleau, Spaday (Exceed and Excel) won comfortably over Maisons-Laffitte's straight course, beating the race's favorite Red Duma (Air Chief Marshal), who was pushed ahead two furlongs out but could not hold her rival in the final stages, Spaday winning by more than a length. It was a fifth second place for Red Duma for as many outings ...

Spaday was bred in Ireland by Wertheimer & Frère and imported in time to grant them the French owners' premiums. It is the sixth foal out of Beautifix (Bering), a German mare also bred by the Wertheimers, whose first foal Sofast (Rock of Gibraltar) finished fourth in the Darley Prix Morny (Gr1) for his second race before winning the Prix La Rochette (Gr3) and take second place in Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère (Gr1) won by Dabirsim! Sofast did not quite confirm at 3 and he finished his career in the USA.

After Spaday, Beautifix, winner of Listed at 2 but maiden the following year, also a sister to sire Iron Mask (Danzig), gave a colt by Galileo born in 2016.

WILDERNESS NOW (G2), (IRE) by Kendargent ex Full Snow Moon (Vindication)
Prix Deep Roots (Maiden, 2C&G, 1,200m Turf), October 2, Maisons-Laffitte

Owner : Écurie Jean-Louis Bouchard
Trainer : Fabrice Chappet
Breeder : Luciano Disaro
Rider : Christophe Soumillon

Wilderness Now (Kendargent) was awarded the race in the stewards' room. It was stated that the acyual winner Cabotin (Kendargent), who had beaten Wilderness Now in a previous race, had prevented him from winning this. Edouard de Rothschild's colt veered about one furlong out, hampering Wilderness Now, who finished well to get beat only a short neck by Cabotin.

Wilderness Now was sold to Jean-Louis Bouchard for € 80,000 at Arqana's V2 yearlings sales in 2016. It's much less than the € 600,000 paid for his sister La Berma (Lawman), a Listed winner and 2nd of the Prix de Sandringham (Gr2), at the 2015 Arqana Arc sale, but much more than the € 1,500 paid by European Bloodstock last July for a sister to La Berma, Moonlight Lover (Lawman), 4 years old and still unraced today ...

All are out of Full Snow Moon (Vindication), second in the Prix des Jouvenceaux and Jouvencelles (L) in Vichy, herself the daughter of Argentinian champion mare Netherland (Roy), winner of Gran Premio Seleccion (Gr1) and second in the Argentinian Derby (Gr1).

YOUNG FIRE (C2), FRA by Fuissé ex Young Majesty (Maria’s Mon)
Prix Joyeux Drille (Unraced 2C&G, 1,500m Turf), October 6, Maisons-Laffitte

Owner : Cyril Morange
Trainer : Freddy Head
Breeder : Cyril Morange
Rider : Aurélien Lemaître

Fast out and on the front line, alongside Green Cloud (Invincible Spirit) on a yielding ground, Young Fire (Fuissé) was pushed forward early in the last straight and looked already safe one furlong out. He passed the post with two lentghs to spare on El Indio (Meshaheer), who hade made his move in the final turn.

Homebred by Cyril Morange, Freddy and Criquette Head's brother in law, he was never cnsigned at the sales, unlike his Anodin yearling brother who's in the Arqana October Sale book. Both are out of the unraced mare Young Majesty (Maria’s Mon), who had already given two winners, including one in Japan sold €100.000 € yearling in Deauville. Her 2nd dam is also champion miler Solow (Singspiel)'s.

OMAHA BEACH (F2), IRE by Epaulette ex Hundredsnthousands (Thousand Words)
Prix Tahiti (Unraced 2F, 1,500m Turf), October 6, Maisons-Laffitte

Owner : Novum Stables SL
Trainer : Pia Brandt
Breeder : Diane Williams
Rider : Maxime Guyon

A green Omaha Beach (Epaulette) raced alongside the leaders and cosily took over in the straight even though she looked a bit lost when hitting the front. She beats the pacesetting Adhere (Mizzen Mast) and a fast finishing Minnehaha (Pet’s Voice).

Bought as a yearling for €36.000 by MAB Agency (Marc-Antoine Berghgracht) at Goffs in Ireland, Omaha Beach is part of the 1st crop by Epaulette (Commands), a brother to Helmet (Exceed and Excel), Thunder Snow's sire. On the broodmare's side, Omaha Beach is a sister to Spanish Fly (Iffraaj), 3rd in the Prix Sigy (L) won by the then imperial 3yo sprinter Fas.

WOW (G3), GER by Areion ex Wonderful Filly (Lomitas)
Prix Hauban (Maiden 3yos, 1,600m Turf), October 6, Maisons-Laffitte

Owner : Guido-Werner-Hermann Schmidt
Trainer : Andreas Suborics
Breeder : Gestüt Gorlsdorf
Rider : Coralie Pacaut

German 3yo gelding Wow (Areion) won here for his 9th attempt on both sides of the Rhine, over a year after his debut in Germany. Ridden by female-jockey Coralie Pacaut, the Andreas Suborics-trained trailed the leaders by the rail, followed favourite Sikandari (Sea the Stars) out of the last bend and soon took over to hold of a fast finishing Snirvana (Elusive Quality) afterwards.

Wow was bought €43,000 at the Baden-Baden yearling sales by his trainer. He's by sprinting sire Areion (Big Shuffle) and Wonderful Filly (Lomitas), a sister to Wunder (Adlerflug), 3rd in Grosser Dallmayr-Preis (Gr1), and Advanced (Night Shift), a group-placed sprinter in France.

DREAM WARRIOR (C2), GB by Dubawi ex I’m A Dreamer (Noverre)
Prix Vaublanc (Maiden, 2C&G, 1,400m Turf), October 7, Chantilly

Owner : Godolphin
Trainer : Charlie Appleby
Breeder : St. Albans Bloodstock Ltd
Rider : James Doyle

Third at Yarmouth and Ascot, Dream Warrior (Dubawi) finally had to cross the Channel to win his first race, but only just : the Charlie Appleby-trained Godolphin flagbearer ahd to face off two othe Godolphin colts, both trained by André Fabre. Eventually, the Brit only prevailed by a nose over Corsen (Cape Cross). Both came outside to outstay Drummore (Dubawi), another one from Godolphin stables, who finished 4th behind Manchester City (Approve), who led the 6-strong field most of the way.

Dream Warrior was bought as a yearling for 575,000 Guineas at Tattersalls. He's the first out of Beverly D Stakes (Gr1) winner I’m a Dreamer (Noverre), whose dam is a sister to German Derby (Gr1) winner All My Dreams (Assert).

BERMONVILLE (F2), FR by Air Chief Marshal ex Belliflore (Verglas)
Prix de l’Aunette (Maiden, 2F, 1,400m Turf), October 7, Chantilly

Owners : Jean-Luc Alnet, William Walton & Frédéric Marchand
Trainer : William Walton
Breeders : Franklin Finance SA & Elisabeth Vidal
Rider : Maxime Guyon

Second for her debut at Mont-de-Marsan, Bermonville (Air Chief Marshal) just hold off beginner Telepathy (Bated Breath), who missed the start but pushed all the way only to fail by a nose. The grey filly Bermonville however showed a great resolution to keep up the whole straight.

Bermonville was bought €8,000 by her trainer William Walton at Osarus yearling sales, far less than the €45,000 paid by Mandore Agency (Nicolas de Watrigant) last Summer at La Teste for her Le Havre brother Boitron.

Both are out of the fast mare Belliflore (Verglas), 3rd in the Prix Maurice de Gheest (Gr1) and already the dam of the good winners Benouville (Siyouni) and Mézidon (Le Havre).

JUMPS

ÉMIRAT (G3), AQPS, FRA by Coastal Path ex Platine (Network)
Prix Isopani (AQPS Unraced 3yos, 3,600m Hurdles), October 3, Auteuil

Owners : Écurie Patrick Joubert et Haras de Saint-Voir
Trainer : Emmanuel Clayeux
Breeders : Michelle Juhen-Cyprés et Jean-Louis Sanson
Rider : Thomas Beaurain

Twice a winner over the flat at Paray-le-Monial and Vichy, chestnut Émirat (Costal Path) stayd outside most of the way for this hurdling debut, only to join the leading État de Grâce (Saint des Saints) two out, in the last straight. Émirat soon took over but jumped the last awkwardly, only to recover in time and bravely fighting État de Grâce and Embrun d’Oudairies (Kapgrade) to finally socre by 2 lengths.

This race is an AQPS-restricted equivalent to the Prix Finot Hurdle, opened to thoroughbreds and AQPS alike. Emirat is out of Platine (Network), a winner over hurdles at Fontainebleau and twice 3rd at Auteuil for owner Antoine-Audoin Maggiar and trainer Nicolas Bertran de Balanda. She gave 8 foals, including Bénévolat (Dom Alco), a winner at Auteuil in a AQPS hrudle race, then Émirat and Fructine (Saint des Saints), Guatemala (Rail Link) and finally Helicine (Gris de Gris), born in 2017.