Europe
Maiden Group 1 for Havana Grey after Vandeek lands Prix Morny
The Simon and Ed Crisford-trained Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) improved his record to three wins from as many starts in Sunday’s G1 Prix Morny at Deauville.
Under the urgings of Andrea Atzeni, Vandeek touched off Christopher Head’s talented filly Ramatuelle (USA) (Justify {USA}), while the Aidan O’Brien-trained River Tiber (Ire) (Wootton bassett {GB}) was back in third.
“It was a huge display and a big performance,” Ed Crisford said of his colt, who has now earned a berth in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint in November.
“I thought the filly’s turn of foot was fantastic and I thought we weren’t going to claw her back, but to be fair to him he’s stuck to his guns and stuck his head down and he’s a really high-quality colt.
“We were behind a few horses and I saw Andrea looking for a gap and he couldn’t quite find one, but once he got out he’s picked up really well in that ground and he’s a proper horse with a big future, hopefully. He could go further in time, but I think he’s got so much speed being by Havana Grey that we’ll aim for the Middle Park and then take it from there.”
Vandeek is the first Group 1 winner for the elite-level scorer Havana Grey (GB). The colt is from the Exceed And Excel mare Mosa Mine (GB) and is a grandson of the 1600-metre winner Baldemosa (Fr) (Lead On Time {USA}) whose half-sister is the G1 Prix Robert Papin heroine Balbonella (Fr) (Gay Mecene {USA}). The latter’s trio of top-class performers are the G1 July Cup S. and G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest hero Anabaa (USA), the G1 Pimlico Special runner-up Key Of Luck (USA) and the G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches heroine Always Loyal (USA) (Zilzal {USA}).
Mqse De Sevigne edges Via Sistina in thrilling Prix Jean Romanet
Siyouni (Fr) 4-year-old Mqse De Sevigne (Ire) became the first horse to win both the G1 Prix Rothschild and G1 Prix Jean Romanet in the same season, after a stirring victory in the latter at Deauville on Sunday.
The André Fabre-trained Mqse De Sevigne settled at the back of the field, before flashing home under Alexis Pouchin. Mqse De Sevigne held a nose advantage over race favourite, the G1 Pretty Polly S. heroine Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock), with a further 2l back to Above The Curve (USA) (American Pharoah {USA}).
Winning owner Edouard de Rothschild said: “It is a great honour and pride to be associated with such a filly. She is very well-bred from a family that gets better and better with age, has a beautiful conformation and a lovely temperament.”
Fabre has a trip to his beloved Newmarket in mind now. “I think the Sun Chariot Stakes could be the right race for her next time,” he said.
Mqse De Sevigne is from the dual Listed-placed Penne (Fr) (Sevres Rose {Ire}), making the former a half-sister to the G1 Grand Prix de Paris hero Meandre (Fr) (Slickly {Fr}), as well as the Listed placegetter Dogma (Fr) (Mount Nelson {GB}).
Frankel filly returns to best in G2 Prix Alex Head
Star filly Jannah Rose (Ire) bounced back to form to land Sunday’s G2 Prix Alec Head at Deauville, which is the re-named Prix de la Nonette.
Returning after placing sixth in the G1 Prix de Diane in June, the Carlos Laffon-Parias-trained Jannah Rose prevailed by a head under Christophe Soumillon, improving her record to four wins from five starts.
“It’s a great honour as, to me, the Head family are one of the biggest families in the racing world so to win the first one under Alec Head’s name means a lot to me,” Soumillon said. “We had a lot of good wins together and while it’s always sad to lose somebody so important in racing, he has left a great legacy.”
Jannah Rose’s unraced dam Sophie Germain (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}) is also responsible for the G2 Ridgewood Pearl S. winner Creggs Pipes (Ire) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}) and the Listed-placed Silver Spear (Ire) (Clodovil {Ire}). The second dam is the G1 Oaks d’Italia heroine Nydrion (USA) (Critique {USA}), whose family includes the G1 Breeders’ Futurity hero and G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile runner-up Square Eddie (Can) (Smart Strike {Can}).
Australia filly too good in Irish St Leger Trial
The Dermot Weld-trained Shamida (Ire) (Australia {GB}) fended off the late challenge of Joseph O’Brien’s Dawn Rising (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) to claim the G3 Irish St Leger Trial at the Curragh.
O’Brien, incidentally, had three of the four runners that went to post.
Chris Hayes rated the Aga Khan-owned filly perfectly and her stamina was to the fore in the 2800-metre contest.
Weld said: “This is a very game, tough 3-year-old. She’s an immature filly and I think she will improve. She’s a stayer with speed.”
Shamida is a half-sister to the stakes performer Shajak (Ire) (Zarak {Fr}). The filly’s dam, Shamooda (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}), is a half-sister to the stakes winners Shemima (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}), Shemala (Ire) (Danehill {USA}) and Shemaya (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}).
Canada
Prince leads Royal procession in King’s Plate
Paramount Prince (Can) (Society’s Chairman {Can}) upstaged his more-fancied rivals to land the 164th running of the King’s Plate at Woodbine in Toronto.
The winner, who was handled by Patrick Husbands for dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse, made all and held off stablemate Elysian Field (Can) (Hard Spun {USA}) and Stanley House (Can) (Army Mule {USA}).
“I didn't want to change anything that was already working,” offered Husbands when asked whether his instructions were to get to the front early. “But he left there running and he just did his own thing.”
He added, “I knew the first time around, that it was going to take a good horse to beat him.”
“At the end of the day, you’ve got to let the horses talk and don’t get too cocky. I had a clean break, I let him do what he likes to do best, and he just enjoyed the running. I asked him to get over on his right lead and he was just gone. He just glides over the ground.”
Bred in Ontario by Ericka Rusnak, Paramount Prince was the first horse bought at auction by Langlois and his wife Charmaine, who made the purchase through then-trainer Jamie Attard.
With the victory, Paramount Prince becomes the ninth black-type winner for his sire. Paramount Prince is out of the stakes performer Platinum Steel (USA) (Eddington {USA}) - a daughter of stakes winner Crafty Toast (USA) (Crafty Prospector {USA}) and a half-sister to Group 1 winner and Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms stallion Army Mule (USA).
Asia
Prognosis prevails in G2 Sapporo Kinen
With Yuga Kawada in the saddle for trainer Mitsumasa Nakauchida, Deep Impact (Jpn) entire Prognosis (Jpn) destroyed his rivals in Sunday’s G2 Sapporo Kinen.
The Shadai Farm-bred 5-year-old, who was runner-up behind the Cox Plate-bound Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup at Sha Tin in April, notched his sixth victory in his 10-start career and second in Grade 2 company.
Top Knife (Jpn) (Declaration Of War {USA}) finished second, 4l behind the winner, while So Valiant (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}) was third.
Out of the two-time winner Velda (GB) (Observatory {USA}), Prognosis is a half-brother to the G1 Cheveley Park S. heroine Vorda (Fr) (Orpen {USA}).
Frosted 4-year-old takes G3 Kitakyushu Kinen
Danno Taisei guided Jasper Krone (USA) (Frosted {USA}) to an impressive win in Sunday’s G3 Kitakyushu Kinen.
It was the second Graded success for the Hideyuki Mori-trained galloper.
Jasper Krone was bred in Kentucky by Machmer Hall and Godolphin and was purchased by his current connections for US$90,000 (AU$140,000) at the 2021 OBS March 2-Year-Old Sale. He is out of the stakes-placed Kitten’s Joy (USA) mare, Fancy Kitten (USA), and hails from the family of stakes winners Jump Start (USA) and Daring Devil (USA) (Daredevil {USA}).
