Maiden winners weekly (24/4-1/5)
Photos scoopdyga.com
Every Tuesday, we focus on the maiden winners of the previous week on France Galop racecourses, an opportunity to learn a little bit more on tomorrow’s champions ...
SEDARY (f2), FRA by Style Vendôme and La Marisma (Sinndar)
Prix Sylvan (2yo Maiden, 1,000m Turf), April 25, Maisons-Laffitte
Owner: Al Shaqab Racing
Trainer: Henri-François Devin
Breeder: SCEA des Prairies, Mandore International Agency, Audrey Leyval
Rider: Grégory Benoist
Bought € 30,000 at Arqana August yearling sale last year, chestnut filly Sedary fought all the way to take her revenge on Teckwin (French Fifteen), who’d just beat her for their debut at Chantilly behind Summer Shamal, purchased privately by Team Valor and moved from trainer Mathieu Palussiere to Francis Graffard since then.
Sedary is a daughter of the unraced mare La Marisma, a sister to champion Literato (Kendor) by Sinndar also sold privately €8,000 to Federico Barberini, an Italian bloodtosk agent based in Newmarket in England, at Arqana breeding sale last winter, in foal to Olympic Glory, whose covering fee is now €15,000.
PIRANDELLO (c3), GB by Invincible Spirit and Taranto (Machiavellian)
Prix de Brichebray (3 years maiden, 1,200m turf), April 30, Chantilly
Owner: Godolphin SNC
Trainer: André Fabre
Breeder: Darley Stud Management
Rider: Mickaël Barzalona
Pirandello just pipped Bouquet de Flores (Street Cry) on the post after chasing his stable mate most of the way. It was the latter’s fourth consecutive second place. Pirandello had done well on his return earlier in April on the same distance at Fontainebleau, finishing a promising 3rd after a troubled trip about a furlong out.
Pirandello is a full brother to Territories, 2 years older than him, now a sire in Britain after winning the Prix Jean Prat (Gr1) and finishing twice second behind Gleneagles in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère (Gr1) and the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket.
Their dam Taranto won twice for Godolphin and trainer André Fabre before leaving the country. Her full sister Ancient Cross ran 94 times, most recently last year when winning an amateur race at Hamilton, aged 12. Magnia Graecia (Warning), dam of Taranto and Ancient Cross, won the Prix de Barbeville (Gr3) for trainer Henri-Alex Pantall, now trainer of Bouquet de Flores…
Main entries : Abu Dhabi Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French 2,000 Guineas, Gr1), Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby, Gr1)
IBIZA (f3), FRA by Redoute's Choice and Olga Prekrasa (Kingmambo)
Prix Parade d’Amour (Unraced 3yo Fillies, 1 600m turf), May 1st, Saint-Cloud
Owner: Viktor Timoshenko, Andriy Milovanov
Trainer: Nicolas Clément
Breeder: Viktor Timoshenko
Rider: Stéphane Pasquier
Ibiza was unsold €100,000 as a yearling at Arqana October sales, unlike her brother Zelzal (Sea The Stars), which was sold €180,000 to Al Shaqab Racing before winning the Prix Jean Prat (Gr1). Both were born at the end of April but Zelzal, trained in Pau by Jean-Claude Rouget, opened his account two months earlier. Ibiza had a lot to do to win in a very hot race. She has just edged her rivals Specialty (Lawman), a daughter of the champion Pride (Peintre Celebre) and the favourite Val de Marne (Invincible Spirit), at the end of a long acceleration.
A new success for Australian sire Redoute's Choice, who can boast a seventh individual winner in France this season out of 14 foals on track only.
STRAIGHT SHOOTER (c3), (GB) by Frankel and Straight Lass (Machiavellian)
Prix Pas de Deux (unraced 3yo colts & geldings, 1,600m Turf), May 1st, Saint-Cloud
Owner: Mayfair Speculators Ltd
Trainer: André Fabre
Breeder: Serge Boucheron
Rider: Pierre-Charles Boudot
Straight Shooter’s debuts were much anticipated since the Andre Fabre-trained chestnut had won a Schooling race in a canter at Maisons-Laffitte. Born on May 20, the big son of Frankel nailed it in the most impressive fashion, beating the field by 7 lengths without breaking sweat and becoming instantly the word of the day, even though it was Prix Ganay day!
Straight Shooter is the eleventh foal out of the unraced mare Straight Lass, dam of Barastraight (Barathea), winner of the Prix La Force (Gr3) for his breeder Serge Boucheron, but also of Naaqoos (Oasis Dream), winner of a Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère (Gr1) at 2 and 3rd at the post in the French 2,000 Guineas won by Silver Frost in front of Le Havre.
Straight Shooter made €400,000 at Arqana August yearling sales, consigned by the Haras du Mézeray. Straight Lass is a local star at Deauville. Nine of her foals sold there for a combined €2.5m.
Straight Shooter’s yearling sister by Invincible Spirit will raise that figure again if she is to make it to Deauville, because we probably have many more to learn from her big brother.
Mayfair Speculators races Straight Shooter with South African breeder-owner Markus Jooste, who leads this group of South African investors and became very prominent on the European markets in the last few years, in France in particular. He has raced some of the best South African horses of recent years, including champions National Emblem and Variety Club, and has headed the owners championship there the last nine seasons.
Main entries : Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby-Gr1), Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris (Gr1)