The maiden winners weekly (May 29-June 4)
Photos scoopdyga.com
Every Tuesday, we focus on the maiden winners of the past week on the France Galop racecourses, an opportunity to discover some of tomorrow's champions ...
EURYALE (g3), (IRE) by Kendargent & Russian Hill (Indian Ridge)
Prix du Musée Carnavalet (Unraced 3yo colts & geldings, 1,600m Turf), May 31, Chantilly
Owner : Édouard de Rothschild
Trainer : Henri-François Devin
Breeder : SC Écurie de Meautry
Rider : Alexis Badel
Gelded (like all his older siblings) at 2, Euryale is the seventh foal out of the good Russian Hill, winner of a Grand Prix de Compiègne (L), but also second of the Prix Corrida (Gr2), Royallieu (Gr2) and Fille de l'Air (Gr2) over 2,000 to 2,500 meters. She also gave Russian Soul (Invincible Spirit), Gr3 winner in Dubai and Great Britain, and Tolka (Danehill Dancer), winner of five races. Euryale's second dam is the unraced Dievotchka (Dancing Brave), whose two best foals are Esoterique (Danehill Dancer), triple Gr1 winner over the mile, and the sire Archange d'Or (Danehill), winner of the Prix Eugène Adam (Gr2). Euryale is followed at stud by a 2-year-old colt by Intense Focus and a yearling filly by Charm Spirit.
For this debut, Euryale took a good start and followed the leaders against the rail. He never had to move away in the final straight and although he was pressed early, it went on to the post to win by almost a length over a more whimsical Mudawwan (Invincible Spirit ). Third-placed Mantastic (Fastnet Rock) finished three and a half lengths behind.
NO JOY (c3), USA by Kitten’s Joy & Underwater (Theatrical)
Prix du Canal Saint-Martin (Maiden, 3yo colts & geldings, 2,400m Turf), May 31, Chantilly
Owners : Wertheimer & Frère
Trainer : Christophe Ferland
Breeders : Wertheimer & Frère
Rider : Maxime Guyon
Associated for the first time with Maxime Guyon for this third outing with blinkers on, No Joy started rather slowly but his rider took his time to bring him back to the fore in this long maiden race. It was to be a decisive move since the three first horses home also were the first to get out the bend ! No Joy kept on going in the end and wore down County Fair (Nayef) and Esprit Estula (Spirit One), beaten nearly two lengths and three and a half lengths respectively ...
Tenth for his debut in Mont-de-Marsan on the same distance, No Joy took second place in a Class 2 race in Salon-de-Provence to finally reach the top spot here.
No Joy is booked for Arqana Summer Sale. His dam Underwater, who was trained by Criquette Head-Maarek and won the Prix de Chaillot before moving to the Gr2 level on the distance, is also the second dam of QIPCO JOckey Club also-ran Soleil Marin (Kendargent). It is one of the best families kept by the Wertheimers, which includes Groom Dancer, Left Hand, Falco, Plumania ...
Following No Joy, Underwater gave a colt, a gelded son of Ghostzapper also in training with Christophe Ferland, and a full sister to No Joy named Under.
RONDONIA (f3), IRE by Raven’s Pass & Raydiya (Marju)
Prix du Musée Rodin (Unraced 3yo Fillies, 1,600m Turf), May 31, Chantilly
Owner : S.A. Aga Khan
Trainer : Alain de Royer Dupré
Breeder : S.A. Aga Khan
Rider : Christophe Soumillon
Rondonia is a sister to the good Raydara (Rock of Gibraltar), winner of the Debutante Stakes (Gr2) at 2 and fourth the following season in the Matron Stakes (Gr1) then beat by more than five lengths by Esoterique in Sun Chariot Stakes (Gr1). Their dam Raydiya only ran in Ireland, where she won a Listed race over 2,400 meters. She is a sister to Coronation Cup (Gr1)-third Roseburg (Tamayuz), for his only race in 2016 - he died afterwards.
For this first start, Rondonia, who exited the stalls well, acted very gamely to beat a tough Golden Rain (Siyouni) by a half-length, 3rd-placed Cascade (Motivator) ending two and a half lengths back.
FREE (f3), FRA by Mr Sidney & Funny Féerie (Sillery)
Prix des Pyramides (Maiden, 3yo Fillies, 2,400m Turf), May 31, Chantilly
Owner : Haras du Quesnay
Trainer : Criquette Head-Maarek
Breeder : Haras du Quesnay
Rider : Jérôme Claudic
Own sister to placed hurdler Full (Mr Sidney), bought € 130,000 at Arqana's Summer sale in 2016 by Horse Racing Advisory and transferred to Great Britain, where he ran twice, Free is out of the good Funny Féerie, winner of the Prix Finot 3yo Hurdle in Auteuil and dam of sires Full of Gold (Gold Away) and Fuissé (Green Tune).
His sire Mr Sidney had made $3.9m as a yearling across the Atlantic and won at Gr1-level on turf. He returned to the USA in 2015 after serving several seasons at the Haras du Quesnay.
It was only Free's second race after her debut at Fontainebleau over 2,600 meters, where she finished second to Sarigan (Teofilo) ahead of Prairie Blossom (Dalakhani), Bubble Rani (Dalakhani) and Cadencia (Shamardal), who filled exactly th same spots in the same order here. More experienced, Sarigan has since finished second to Galikeo (Dansili), Goldikova's nephew.
Free has a little sister by Motivator, Futura, in training in the same stable, followed by a male also by Motivator.
PAS PRETE (f3), (GB) by More Than Ready & Halfbridled (Unbridled)
Prix Primeur (3yo maiden, 1,200m Turf), June 3rd, Maisons-Laffitte
Owners : Wertheimer & Frère
Trainer : André Fabre
Breeders : Wertheimer & Frère
Rider : Maxime Guyon
STYLE ICON (f3), FRA by Doctor Dino and La Turbale (Ange Gabriel)
Prix de Cheffreville (Maiden, 3yo Fillies, 2,100m Turf), June 3rd, Maisons-Laffitte
Owner : Mme Henri Devin
Trainer : Henri-François Devin
Breeder : Mme Henri Devin
Rider : Alexis Badel
Style Icon is the first daughter of the unraced mare La Turbale, out of Turboka (Kahyasi), who entered stud after winning five jumps races, and whose dam Turbotière (Turgeon) won many Grand Prix In the Provinces and nearly €350,000 in racing. It is also the family of Lady Kish and Turkish Junior, two champions of Auteuil.
Since this first foal, La Turbale has given two inbred sons of Turgeon.
Style Icon was racing for the first time in this maiden race, unlike her two main rivals, English radier Lady Valdean (Helmet) and Miss Melbourne (Kentucky Dynamite).
Very nice ride from in-form Alexis Badel here as he kept his green ride isolated in the opposite straight, sneaked inside in the bend and managed to push his ride without leaving the rail. Style Icon idlied a bit when she hit the front but Badelkept her busy to prevent any bad surprise.
Main entries : Prix de Diane Longines (French Oaks-Gr1).
MILK MAN (c3), USA par Kitten’s Joy & Meteor Miracle (Twining)
Prix de Lormoy (Maiden, 3yo geldings, 2,100m Turf), June 3rd, Maisons-Laffitte
Owners : Wertheimer & Frère
Trainer : Carlos Laffon-Parias
Breeder : Wertheimer & Frère
Rider : Maxime Guyon
This was Milk Man's fifth attempt, his first on a turf course, and on this occasion Maxime Guyon's partner did not make any details: fast in front, he led the field in the middle of the track, then accelerated before even getting out of the last left turn and he got out of reach of the return of the Aga Khan's favorite Devamani (Dubawi), who finished four and a half lengths adrift.
It was Milk Man's first attempt over a distance of over 2,000 meters. He started his racing career in December at 2, over Deauville's fibresan mile, and finished fourth. For his return, also on Deauville's fibresand, he reached the podium finishing two lengths away from a well rated Malkoboy. Then he bumped into the good Godolphin colt Avilius and his won stablemate Galikeo in Chantilly (3rd again) before finding the one and only Prime Time to beat him ove the sand at Lyon La Soie.
Milk Man comes from an American family. His dam, Meteor Miracle, won a few stakes and gave Meteore (Pulpit), a Gr2 winner at Del Mar for the Wertheimers. They had bought his dam at the Keeneland breeding sale in 2005, in foal to Pulpit, for $740,000.