11 July 2021
Photo scoopdyga.com
July 11, 2021, Touques Racecourse (Deauville). - By winning the final struggle in the 6-furlong Prix de Ris-Orangis (Gr3), 3-year-old gelding Ocean (Exosphère) scored for the 3rd time in a row for his first attempt in a Group contest. Trained in Deauville by Stéphane Cerulis for Écurie Trois Mille (a name inspired by the first Group winner saddled by the Belgian trainer, two years ago), Ocean had only won his first handicap with an 84lbs rating, only a month after his maiden win ... at his 7th attempt!
here, for his come back over 6 furlongs, after winning over a mile and 7 furlongs, he beats Cœur de Pierre (Zanzibari), who zeroed late to deprive Sestilio Jet (French Fifteen) form a second place, over a length behind the winner.
The sectional timing analysis shows that it was an exhilarating trip, with three successive leaders each showing the way for about 2 furlongs. The winner was still third when he posted his two fastest sectionals, both under 11'', from 5 to 2 furlongs out. Then he started to slow down but less than the two horses preceding him -Pradaro and Brad the Brief-, maintaining a cruising speed high enough to keep the closers from coming back at him.
The winner's sire Exosphere is a Darley sire. In 2017, he was based at his co-breeder Julian Ince's Haras du Logis. Ocean was unsold as a yearling in August 2019 at € 27,000.
His dam Tevara (Compton Place) gave Aiming for Rio (Rio de la Plata), who started her career for Theresa Marnane. Sold to Godolphin, she won the Prix Amandine (L) for André Fabre. She didn't race for long and was finally sold again at the Arqana breeding sale in 2020 to Corduff Stud for € 35,000.