A packed Sunday card at Parislongchamp kicks off with the 2-year-olds and ends the stakes action with a 1400 metre Group 1 event.
Field of connected juveniles lines up in Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere
Coolmore Australia’s Magna Grecia (Ire) sees his 2-year-old Group 1-placed half-brother St Marks Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Ire}) look to get a Group 1 victory in the G1 Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere to kick off Sunday’s card. The pair are two of the four winners for their Group 3-winning dam Cabaret (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), one of three stakes winners for stakes placed Witch Of Fife (USA) (Lear Fan {USA}).
Permanent Australian resident Power (GB) sees Law Of Indices (Ire) line up here after winning the G2 Railway S. earlier this year. Also fourth in the G1 Phoenix S. Law Of Indices is out of Exceed And Excel’s three-time winner Sampers and from the family of Australian Group 3 winner and resident Red Cardinal (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}).
Group 3 winner Cairn Gorm (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) is a grandson of Not Before Time, whose descendants have won stakes all over the world. Included in that group is G2 Crystal Mile winner Chief Ironside (GB) (Lawman {Fr}), who is in training with Kris Lees and won a trial on Friday after finishing second in the Listed Scone Cup last season with Showcasing’s (GB) New Zealand Group 2-placed Our Intrigue (NZ) also under Cairn Gorm’s second dam.
Our Candidate’s (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) half-sister Libertine (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) takes on the boys in this race. Libertine won her first two starts before finishing fourth by only 2l behind the winner in a Group 3 last out. Her half-brother is in training with Kris Lees and last finished third behind Mugatoo (Ire) (Henrythenavigator {USA}) in January.
Fillies line up in Prix Marcel Boussac
The fillies take their spot in the G1 Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac - Criterium des Pouliches in the second race on the card with the field including Harajuku (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}). That Group 3-placed filly is a half-sister to a stakes winner and out of a full sister to classic winner Nightime (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), whose runners include four-time Group 1 winner Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). Another half sister is Mermaid Island (Ire) (Mujadil {USA}), who was imported to Australia in 2009. The dam of Listed winner Ondina (Manhattan Rain) and Holy Cow (Teofilo {Ire}) Mermaid Island was most recently sold for $18,000 at last year’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
Shuttle stallion Territories (Ire) sends out two-time winner Rougir here. The filly out of listed placed Summer Moon (Fr) (Elusive City {USA}). The filly hails from the extended family of multiple classic winners and is one of two winners from two to race out of her dam.
Following Palomba (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) on Saturday, G1 Melbourne Cup winner Americain (USA) (Dynaformer {USA}) sees half-sister Australienne’s (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}) send out another daughter daughter Tasmania (Fr) (Zoffany {Ire}). Second by a neck on debut, Tasmania broke her maiden a week and a half ago convincingly enough to take her shot here.
Fifteen contest Arc
The G1 Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe has attracted a field of 15 on the heavy ground with Persian King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) the lone runner for Godolphin, who owns the colt with Ballymore Thoroughbreds. It was just announced that Persian King will be standing at Haras d’Etreham in 2021 with SF Bloodstock also included in the new ownership group. Persian King is out of a three-quarter sister to Group 1 winner Planteur (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who is also a half-sister to Listed Ballarat Cup winner Pilote d’Essai (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}),
Full brothers Japan (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and Mogul (GB) line up in this race for Ballydoyle with Masaaki Matsushima also joining Coolmore in Japan’s ownership. The pair have intimate connections to Australia racing with Listed Ipswich Cup winner Maurus (GB) (Medicean {GB}) and G3 JRA Cup third Sir Isaac Newton (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) among their siblings.
Brilliant stayer Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) has been preparing for this run all campaign with two of his four starts at the Arc distance and lines up against stablemate Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) here. Stradivarius comes upon his stamina honestly with his dam out of a half-sister to the granddam of G1 Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) with Australian stakes-placed runner Soviet Courage (Ire) (Dutch Art {GB}) also under his second dam.
Lining up for her fourth consecutive Arc, Enable is looking for her third victory on Sunday. One of three stakes horses for stakes winning dam Concentric (GB) (Sadler’s Wells {GB}), Enable’s dam is also a half-sister to the dam of two-time Arc runner up Flintshire (GB) (Dansili {GB}).
This year’s G1 German Derby winner In Swoop (Ire) (Adlerflug {Ger}) looks to improve the immediate family of his New Zealand Group 3 winning half-sister Igraine (Ger) (Galileo {Ire}). Visiting Fastnet Rock last season, Igraine foaled a filly in Australia on August 29. This is also the family of G2 Peter Young second Illo (Ger) (Tertullian {USA}), who was exported from Australia to China in 2016.
G1 Epsom Derby winner Serpentine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) looks to pull another upset in the Arc against his elders on Sunday. One of five stakes winners for G1 Epsom Oaks second Remember When (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), the colt is also a full brother to Australian winner Yulong Captain (Ire), who is in training with Tom Dabernig and Ben Hayes.
Mares take stage in Prix de l’Opera
The race after the Arc sees a field of 15 fillies and mares line up for the G1 Prix de l’Opera Longines with Grand Glory (GB) (Olympic Glory {Ire}) weaning the No. 1 saddle towel. Third in the G1 Prix de Diane, Grand Glory comes from the family of G1 VRC Oaks winner Arapaho Miss (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), her Oaks-winning daughter Miami Bound (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}), and Group 3 winner Declarationofheart (Declaration Of War {USA}).
Third last out in the G1 Matron S., Fancy Blue (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) looks to win her third Group 1 of the year here. She has close connections to Australia with siblings Casterton (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) and Fastnet Cyclone (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) both in Australia and her dam a half-sister to High Chaparral (Ire) with G2 Gold Cup winner Hunting Horn (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) out of another half-sister.
A Royal Ascot Group 1 winner, Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) looks to put two second place finishes behind her in this race. The filly’s dam Alpha Lupi (Ire) (Rahy {USA}) is a half-sister to the dam of the Chris Waller-trained Captain Cook (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who has won multiple Australian stakes. Alpine Star is a great-granddaughter of bluehen Misque (USA) (Nureyev {USA}), with Arrowfield shuttle stallion Real Steel (Jpn) also descending from that mare.
Beat Le Bon brother lines up in Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp
The shortest race on the card, the sprinters are looking to blitz over 1000 metres at Longchamp on Sunday in the G1 Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp Longines. Wooded (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) leads the charge with the No. 1 blanket and hopes to be even faster than full brother Beat Le Bon, who finished sixth behind Kolding (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) in the Golden Eagle last year during a trip to Australia.
Multiple stakes winner Sestilio Jet (Fr) (French Fifteen {Fr}) is the only stakes winner for dam Hideaway Girl (GB) (Fasliyev {USA}), who is a half-sister to G3 Queen’s Cup winner Motivado (GB) (Motivator {GB}). Imported to Australia in 2012, the gelding ran his last race in 2016.
Prix de la Foret brings stakes to a close
The final stakes race of the weekend on Longchamp’s card, the G1 Qatar Prix de la Foret over 1400 metres attracted 11 entries. Accamation’s (GB) son Pretreville (Fr) is the only stakes winner for dam Pegase Hurry (USA) (Fusaichi Pegasus {USA}) but comes from a family that includes Australian stakes winners Akatau (Teofilo {Ire}), Born To Rock (Fastnet Rock) and Prettyhappyaboutit (Magnus) with his third dam’s daughter Call Me Pretty (USA) (Peaks And Valleys {USA}) imported to Australia in 2004.
Toronado (Ire) is represented in this race by Toro Strike (USA), who is the first foal to race out of American Grade 3 winner and Grade 1-placed Scarlet Strike (USA) (Smart Strike {Can}). That mare is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Tara’s Tango (USA) (Unbridled’s Song {USA}), whose Tapit (USA) colt recently topped the Keeneland September Sale when bringing US$2 million (AU$).
Fastnet Rock’s One Master (GB) lost by a heartbreaking nose last time out and looks to get back to her winning ways here. The 6-year-old mare is already a duel Group 1 winner and is one of five winners out of Enticing (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}). Enticing’s Group 2-winning dam is a half-sister to the dam of Group 1 winner Rivet Delite (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) and his half-brother Group 3 winner Alexander Pope (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) with those under One Master’s third dam also including G1 Turnbull S. winner December Draw (Ire) (Medecis {GB}).
