The final of four Classics this weekend, the G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club leads a stacked card at Chantilly on Sunday. Seven stakes races are among those on the 10 race card, with the stakes kicking off at 10.05pm AEST when juveniles line up in the Listed Prix La Fleche. Viewers will find Australian connections in every stakes race with the G1 Prix du Jockey Club at 12am AEST a big race for multiple shuttle stallions only months before they head back to Australasia.
St Mark’s Basilica looks for another Classic in Prix du Jockey Club
While G1 2000 Guineas winner Magna Grecia (Ire) waits for his first Australian foals to hit the ground later this year, his half-brother St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) is looking to improve his page even more in the G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club. The colt won the French 2000 Guineas last month and is hoping to add another Classic win to his record in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club. His Group 3-winning dam Cabaret (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is one of three stakes winners for her own dam, including Hong Kong stakes winner Ho Choi (GB) (Pivotal {GB}).
Out of a half-sister to the dam of dual Group 1 winner Lizzie L’Amour (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) is Wootton Bassett’s (GB) Ninth Titan (Ire). Lizzie L’Amour’s dam was purchased by Ric Wylie for 30,000 gns (AU$59,850) at the 2005 Tattersalls December Mares Sale and is also the grandam of Listed-placed Al Shameel (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}). Lizzie L’Amour was bred to Trapeze Artist last year. Under Ninth Titan’s third dam is successful Australian sire Spinning World (USA) and Global Balance (Redoute’s Choice).
Third in the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas two weeks ago, Van Gogh (American Pharoah {USA}) gets to stretch out past a mile in this 2100 metre race. He is the best of six stakes performers out of G1 Epsom Oaks winner Imagine (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}), whose runners also includes Group 1 winner Horatio Nelson (Ire) (Danehill {USA}).
Stakes-winning El Drama (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) is a half-brother to G3 JRA Cup third Velox (GB) (Zamindar {USA}). Imported in December 2014, Velox was retired in November 2018 by trainer Charles Cassar, who purchased him earlier that year for $12,000.
Siblings star in Grand Prix de Chantilly
A half-brother to G3 Geelong Cup winner Steel Prince (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}), Influx (Ire) (Golden Horn {GB}) is looking to become the third stakes winner for Group 3 winner Steel Princess (Ire) (Danehill {USA}) in the G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly. This family also includes New Zealand stakes winner Herman Munster (NZ) (Traditionally {USA}), whose dam was imported to New Zealand in the late 1990s. Steel Prince is in training with Anthony and Sam Freedman and is currently spelling after running in the G1 Australian Cup in March.
Group 1 winner In Swoop (Ire) (Adlerflug {Ger}) is one of two Group 1-winning half-brothers to New Zealand Group 3 winner Igraine (Ger) (Galileo {Ire}). Also a multiple Group-placed mare in Australia, Igraine was retired in 2019 and had a Fastnet Rock filly last August. She visited both Fastnet Rock and Zoustar last year before shipping back to New Zealand.
Ansili represents Australian family members in Prix de Sandringham
Out of a half-sister to three Group 1 winners, G2 Prix de Sandringham runner Ansilia (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) is also from the family of Australian stakes winners Glorious Sinndar (Fr) (Sinndar {Ire}), Assign (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), and Observational (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Glorious Sinndar was retired last August, the late Assign ran his last race in July 2019, and Observational was retired after running his last race in September 2020.
Pradaro looking to improve Moody runner’s page in Prix du Gros-Chene
The 6-year-old gelding Pradaro (Fr) (Penny’s Picnic {Ire}) has Australian runners littered throughout his pedigree with the closest being his half-sister’s son Caffrey (Ire) (Kendargent {Fr}). Purchased by Peter Moody as a foal for 22,000 gns (AU$43,890) at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale, Caffrey has won three of his 10 starts with two other top two finishes. Under Pradaro’s second dam is G1 Sydney Cup winner The Offer (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}), multiple Australian stakes winner Cylinder Beach (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}) and stakes winner Victory Eight (NZ) (Nadeem).
Their dam Queen’s Colours (GB) (Rainbow Quest {USA}) was imported to Australia in 2013 before moving to New Zealand in 2010. She wasn’t served last year but has an Eminent (Ire) weanling filly and a 2-year-old colt named Eight Cylinders (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}), who was her first foal in five years.
Third in his last two starts, Sestilio Jet (Fr) (French Fifteen {Fr}) is trying to end a losing streak that goes back six starts to last September. The 6-year-old is one of four winners out of Hideaway Girl (GB) (Fasliyev {USA}), who is a half sister to G3 Queen’s Cup winner Motivado (GB) (Motivator {GB}). The winner of over $100,000 stakes earnings in Australia, he last ran in 2016.
Strong field in Prix du Royaumont
Out of a half-sister to G3 NE Manion Cup winner Young Rascal (Fr) (Intello {Ger}), G3 Prix de Royaumont runner Clever Actress (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) has finished second in her last two outings but is still looking to break her maiden. Young Rascal was transferred to Archie Alexander after coming to Australia under William Haggas’ name and made four starts for him before moving to the Freedmans after this season’s Gosford Cup back in May.
A full sister to G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe winner Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}), Wildfeder (GB) is also out of a half-sister to G1 St. Leger winner Masked Marvel (Ire). Masked Marvel came to Australia in 2013 and earned two stakes placings before being exported to France in 2014. He now stands at Haras de La Tuilerie in France as a National Hunt stallion.
The winner of her only start, Harcanville (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) is from the family of Shamus Award’s stakes winner Etana and her Group-placed half-sister Echo Gal (Stratum). Their stakes-placed dam was the first for Miss Helga (Ire) (Alzao {USA}), who was imported to Australia in 2014 and had nine foals before she was retired in 2019. Etana has a yearling half-sister named Pinky By Pariah with her dam going back to Shamus Award last year. Etana herself visited Pride Of Dubai last October for her first foal. Echo Gal has a 2-year-old filly named Echo Sunshine in training with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, a yearling filly by Sebring, a weanling colt by Pierro, and was bred to Capitalist last year.
Belardo’s (Ire) daughter Saboor (GB) comes into this race off a fourth in a Listed stakes last out. The filly is a granddaughter of dual Group 1 winner Indian Ink (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}), who produced four winners from four to race.
Mallory family represented in Prix la Fleche
From the family of this season’s G3 Widden S. winner Mallory (Not A Single Doubt), New Zealand stakes winner Sassy ‘N’ Smart (Smart Missile), and multiple Australian Group winner Excess Knowledge (GB) (Monsun {Ger}) comes Ardad’s (Ire) Condrieu (GB) in the Listed Prix la Fleche for 2-year-olds. The colt broke his maiden by 2l in mid-May and convinced his connections to send him to this spot over the same distance. The Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained Mallory was last seen running in the Golden Slipper and her half-sister Sassy ‘N’ Smart has a 2-year-old Capitalist filly named Coolist in training with Leon and Troy Corstens and had an I Am Invincible filly last year before returning to the stallion for a 2021 foal.
Rich Hill’s shuttle stallion Vadamos (Fr) sees Ma Noire (Fr) (American Devil {Fr}) represent his family in this race. The filly is already stakes placed in three starts and broke her maiden by 1.5l on debut. Vadamos has first crop 2-year-olds in the Southern Hemisphere this year with his six runners including the G3 Pago Pago fourth placegetter Spectrier (NZ).
From the family of G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas winner Platinum Witness (California Dane) is Caravaggio (USA) runner Dizzy Bizu (Ire). The filly is out of a half-sister to Australian runner Super Fun (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}). Platinum Witness’ grandam Imzadi was imported to New Zealand in 1997 with runners out of her daughters also including multiple New Zealand Group winner Zennista (NZ) (Zenno Rob Roy {Jpn}) with one of Imzadi’s sisters being the grandam of New Zealand stakes-placed Poetic Music (NZ) (Stravinsky {USA}).
Sir Prancealot runner looks for win in Prix Marchand d’Or
Sir Prancealot (Ire) is represented in the Prix Marchand d’Or by stakes-winning Prince Lancelot (GB). The colt is the only named foal out of a half-sister to stakes winner Rainbow Crossing (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}), who is the grandam of Champion 2019 European Champion Soffia (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}).
Looking for his first stakes success, Azov (Fr) has the pedigree behind him to show he should succeed at this level with his dam a half-sister to Redoute’s Choice’s German Group 1 winner and one-time Australian runner Danceteria (Fr). Danceteria spent a year racing in Australia before moving to the United States, where he’s in training with Graham Motion. Azov’s grandam is also a half-sister to former shuttle sire Lope De Vega (Ire), who won the G1 Prix du Jockey Club on this card in 2010.
A half-brother to former Australian runner Zayam (Fr) (Shamardal {USA}), Urgent Appeal (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) is trying to take his record to four wins from six starts in the Prix Marchand d’Or. The Godolphin runner saw his half-brother make his final start in 2017 when in the charge of Matthew Smith.
Out of a half-sister to G2 Herbert Power S.-placed Moyenne Corniche (GB) (Selkirk {USA}), Monsieur Beaulieu (GB) (Equiano {Fr}) won on debut two weeks ago and is making the step up to stakes company in this spot. A one-time G1 Melbourne Cup runner Moyenne Corniche ended his career in training with Jim Conlan in late 2012 with $320,339 in earnings.
The Group 3-placed Princesse De Saba (Fr) (Dariyan {Fr}) takes on the boys when searching for her first stakes win. The filly has stakes winners under every dam but her own and sees R. Listed Inglis Banner winner and Listed Blue Diamond Preview (Colts and Geldings) second Azazel (Snitzel) as a grandson of her third.
