France
Henri Matisse scorches in France
By Sean Cronin, TDN Europe
Representatives of Wootton Bassett (GB)'s first Coolmore crop continued their plunder of elite-level contests with last term's G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf hero Henri Matisse (Ire) doubling his tally at the top table and registering a narrow victory, in track-record time, from Juddmonte's Jonquil (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) in Sunday's G1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains at ParisLongchamp.
The 12-5 favourite was positioned many lengths off the tempo as a group of five stole a march on the remainder of the field through halfway. Bustled along to reduce arrears upon turning for home, the eventual winner thundered forward to launch his challenge entering the final furlong and was driven out to withstand the rallying Jonquil by a head. The winner's stablemate Camille Pissarro (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) flashed home late to finish a length adrift in third. The win provided trainer Aidan O'Brien with a sixth renewal of the one-mile Classic, five shy of Robert Denman's century-old record of 11.
“He's a horse that doesn't like to be in front too long and it was a nice, even pace,” the winning trainer commented. “We were hoping it was going to be like that, because he was going to be ridden back, and we're delighted with the outcome. When the pace is strong and even, usually if you have the best horse you have a chance. There was going to be no traffic for everybody, but when you're riding back you're never sure you're going to get there. I'm never confident, I'm always hopeful, but Ryan (Moore) gave him a brilliant ride. I think he could be a miler and we think that he's probably going to be a (G1) St James's Palace horse, but obviously the lads will decide that.”
Henri Matisse, one of his sire's 14 winners at the highest level, is the sixth of seven foals thrown by Immortal Verse (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), whose career highlights include victories in the G1 Coronation Stakes and G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois. Immortal Verse topped the sheets at Tattersalls' 2013 December Mares sale when knocked down for 4,700,000gns (AU$10.1 million).
She is the leading performer out of stakes-winning G3 Prix Fille de l'Air runner-up Side Of Paradise (Ire) (Sadler's Wells {USA}), whose descendants include stakes-winning G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes runner-up Roseman (Ire) (Kingman {GB}). Side Of Paradise is a full sister to Listed Rose Bowl Stakes winner Flowerdrum (Ire) as well as being a half-sister to multiple Group 1-winning sire Last Tycoon (Ire) (Try My Best {USA}), G3 Prix du Bois victrix The Perfect Life (Ire) (Try My Best {USA}) and dual G3 Goldene Peitsche-winning sire Astronef (GB) (Be My Guest {USA}). Side Of Paradise is also kin to the stakes-placed dam of G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Valentine Waltz (Ire) (Be My Guest {USA}) and G1 Matron Stakes victrix Sense Of Style (Ire) (Thunder Gulch {USA}). Black-type descendants of Henri Matisse's third dam Mill Princess (Ire) (Mill Reef {USA}) include top-level winners Hermosa (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Hydrangea (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), The United States (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Tie Black (Ire) (Machiavellian {USA}). Immortal Verse, who has a yearling colt by Justify (USA) to come, is also the dam of G1 Cheveley Park Stakes heroine Tenebrism (USA) (Caravaggio {USA}) and G2 Airlie Stud Stakes victrix Statuette (USA) (Justify {USA}). She was bred back to Justify (USA) last year.
Favourite Zarigana wins G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches on a protest
By Tom Frary, TDN Europe
At the end of a week to forget for Kieran Shoemark, the rider who had suffered agony at Newmarket eight days earlier had to endure a second bout as the ParisLongchamp stewards stripped his mount Shes Perfect (Ire) of G1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Pouliches glory on Sunday. Connections of the Charlie Fellowes-trained daughter of Sioux Nation (USA) were ebullient for a precious few minutes after the photo showed her a nose ahead of the 4-5 favourite Zarigana (GB), but an objection from Mickael Barzalona soon raised the alarm.
After deliberation, the officials judged the 18-1 winner to have caused interference to the eventual fourth Exactly (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) as she drifted left in the closing stages, who in turn took Zarigana off a true line. With such a minimal margin separating the duo who had finished the other way around in the course-and-distance G3 Prix de la Grotte, the decision came down in favour of the Aga Khans Studs' daughter of Siyouni (Fr).
“Obviously, it was a tough few minutes and we don't like to win like this,” trainer Francis-Henri Graffard said of the promoted winner, who for a brief period looked to have suffered a second heart-breaking defeat here, having also lost out by a nose in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc day. “We feel sorry for the connections of Shes Perfect, but this is racing and it has happened to me in the past. To be fair to my filly, when she came, she got really unbalanced at the wrong time and at the end it was only a nose.
“I am very happy for this filly, there was a lot of expectation and she deserved a win like that and it would have been very frustrating to be second, beaten a nose,” he added. “It's so important for the team, it's huge. It's quite hard to really enjoy it, it's more like a relief than proper joy. I think she can be ridden closer to the pace, but I think it's important to give her cover. Mikael gave her a good ride and I think she deserved to win, but again I'm very sorry for the connections of Shes Perfect.”
Key to the outcome here was the errant passage of Shes Perfect inside the final two furlongs, but the real story of the race was the remarkable final three-furlong split of Zarigana as she stormed home in a rapid 32.50 despite receiving a bump. Once she was clear of Exactly, her surge to the line in 11.31 demonstrated how much running she had left in the tank and there is no decisive call on the judgement of the inquiry.
Charlie Fellowes was taken aback by the outcome, with an appeal being considered. “I thought the contact was minimal and it was a long way out, so I was very surprised,” he explained. “In England, it would not have been overturned–we would have kept it. I need to speak to some people and get some advice on the situation–whether it's worth appealing, I've no idea really.
“My filly is so tough, I was worried about the ground before the race and that it was plenty quick enough for her, but she's obviously more versatile than I realised. I think she'll stay 10, but she just needs to relax a bit better. She's just nearly won a Classic over a mile, so there's no desperate need to step her up yet. We'll maybe look at that later in the year.”
Zarigana may not be asked to emulate the Classic double achieved by her second dam Zarkava (Ire), with the G1 Prix de Diane appearing less likely than the G1 Coronation Stakes where she can renew rivalry with the demoted winner. “I'm not sure she needs to step up in trip,” Graffard added. “If we decide to stick to a mile, then we will go to Royal Ascot and the Coronation with her. Mandanaba should step up in trip and head to the Prix de Diane.”
Frankel's Zarkamiya (Fr), who proved a genuine 12-furlong performer when winning the Listed Prix Thiberville and finishing third in the G1 Prix Vermeille, is one of two notables produced by the luminary Zarkava who holds a special place in the operation's annuls. Her Dubawi (Ire)-sired G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud-winning son Zarak (Fr) is now emerging as a force in his second career, while Zarkava's G3 Prix Minerve-winning half-sister Zarshana (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) is responsible for Frankel's G1 Prix Ganay runner-up Zarir (Ire).
Quinella in G2 Prix Saint-Alary for Graffard
By Tom Frary, TDN Europe
Bringing yet more success to the Francis-Henri Graffard stable in 2025, White Birch Farm's Gezora (Fr) (Almanzor {Fr}) emulated the 2006 Prix Saint-Alary success of her dam Germance at ParisLongchamp on Sunday. Sent off at 6-1 for the former Group 1 contest, now a level below, last year's G3 Prix des Reservoirs winner was anchored behind the leading pair early by Mickael Barzalona.
Showing the sharpest acceleration of the quartet in the straight, the daughter of Almanzor (Fr) who had been third behind Mandanaba (Fr) and Flaming Stone (GB) in the course-and-distance G3 Prix Vanteaux last month took over from the latter 300 metres from the finish before seeing off her stablemate, Dubawi (Ire)'s 1-2 favourite Audubon Park (Fr), by 1.2l.
Graffard, who was later to go through the gamut of emotions after the Pouliches, is thinking of the G1 Prix de Diane for the first two. “Gezora is a nice filly, very straightforward, she had a very good first run in the Vanteaux here and she came on a lot for the race,” he said. “She blossomed physically and mentally she was so happy and well in herself that I said to the owner we should give it a go today, we had nothing to lose and she lengthened really nicely in the straight.”
“Audubon Park is a big, scopey filly and I didn't want to run her four times before the Prix de Diane, so I gave her a long break and physically I think she needed it today,” he added. “She was a little bit in season also–when I put the saddle on her she was showing bad signs to me. She needed the run, she asked for a big blow at the wrong moment in the straight and she will come on a lot for that. She's a lovely filly. Gezora will definitely go to the Prix de Diane after that and regarding Audubon Park, let's see how she comes out and I will speak to the owner, but this is a trial and she will probably line up too.”
Gezora is the last foal out of Germance (Fr) (Silver Hawk {USA}), who also captured the G3 Prix de la Nonette and G3 Prix Penelope and was second in her Diane. Responsible for only one black-type performer so far in Teofilo (Ire)'s triple listed-placed Garance (Fr), she is a half to the dual listed scorer Gaily Game (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}) related to Sea The Stars (Ire)'s G1 Prix d'Ispahan-winning sire Mekhtaal (GB) and Le Havre (Ire)'s G1 Criterium International runner-up Normandy Bridge (Fr).
Japan
Upset victory by Panja Tower in G1 NHK Mile Cup
By Heather Anderson, TDN Europe
Deep Creek's Panja Tower (Jpn) (Tower Of London {Jpn}) upset the G1 NHK Mile Cup at Tokyo on Sunday, producing a strong stretch run to sweep the spoils. The Shinsuke Hashiguchi-trained colt was winning his first Group 1 race.
Rated in midfield through the early going, the 25-1 shot stayed out of trouble on the backstretch. Spun widest of all off the turn, he set sail for the pacesetter, Voulezvous (Jpn) (Satono Crown {Jpn}), just before the 400-metre mark. Several rivals had a similar idea, and the field was soon strung across the course with at least six horses in with a chance by midstraight. Panja Tower kept grinding, eventually outfooting all of his foes to win by a head over the rallying Magic Sands (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), himself a nose in front of the filly Cerbiatto (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) in third.
“We were able to sit in a good position but the rhythm was more of an important factor and I'm happy he ran steadily in good rhythm today,” said jockey Kohei Matsuyama. “As you know, he's shown his strength since his debut and has a graded win in Tokyo, and the way he stretched incredibly today proves he has a bright future ahead of him.”
A winner of his first two starts at two, including the G2 Keio Hai Nisai Stakes, Panja Tower is the first stakes winner of any sort for his sire, whose eldest foals are now 3-year-olds, Panja Tower is a paternal half-brother to G3 Kokura Nisai Stakes third Arlington Row (Jpn). Tower Of London won the G1 Sprinters Stakes and stands for ¥2 million (AU$21,300) at Darley's Japanese satellite.
The second foal, runner and winner for his unraced dam Clarksdale (Jpn) (Victoire Pisa {Jpn}), Panja Tower's granddam Acoustics (Jpn) (Cape Cross {Ire}) foaled the Japanese Derby hero and sire Logi Universe (Jpn), and Acoustics herself is a half-sister to three stakes winners anchored by Group winners Renforcer (Jpn) (Symboli Kris S {Jpn}) and Northern River (Jpn) (Agnes Tachyon {Jpn}). This is also the family of Japanese champion Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) and G1 Shuka Sho/G1 Nassau Stakes heroine Deirdre (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}).
