France
First Group 1 winner for Wooded
By Tom Frary, TDN Europe
Providing an instant return on the investment of Resolute Bloodstock, 3-year-old colt Woodshauna (Fr) (Wooded {Ire}) was the one to edge a pulsating four-way go in Sunday's G1 Prix Jean Prat at Deauville. Sold for £625,000 (AU$1.3 million) at Goffs London by Al Shaqab following his defeat of the subsequent G1 Commonwealth Cup winner Time For Sandals (Ire) (Sands Of Mali {Fr}) in the six-furlong G3 Prix Texanita at Chantilly in May, the 12-1 shot was able to get between the tight gaps and seize the advantage late for Christophe Soumillon.
“We decided to skip Ascot, as I wanted the horse to be strong for this race and it worked out,” trainer Francis-Henri Graffard said. “He has a lot of speed and I think seven furlongs is the max for him. It's a big step up today. He's a lovely horse with a great attitude and he's improving physically.”
It was not until the last 75 metres that Woodshauna was able to thrust in front of three closely-matched peers and at the line there was a short neck to Maranoa Charlie (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), with a short head separating that game front-runner and the revived The Lion In Winter (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).
This is further evidence that the hot 3-year-old sprinting form so far this season is in France, with the Texanita now having produced a pair of Group 1 winners and the Commonwealth Cup second and third Arizona Blaze (GB) (Sergei Prokofiev {Can}) and Rayevka (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) having captured the G3 Prix Sigy and Listed Prix Marchand d'Or respectively.
“Every time I have stepped him up in class he has responded,” Graffard added of the winner. “I think if he was closer in the Djebel he would have been very dangerous and on that form and my belief I was not scared today.”
“I'm so happy for John (Stewart) who is such a lovely, enthusiastic man for the industry and he has kept faith in me and let me do what I think is best for the horses and is rewarded today with a nice win. The Prix Maurice de Gheest could definitely be on the cards and I think he will be better dropped back in distance. I will see how he comes out of this, but that could be a race we target.”
Francis-Henri Graffard | Image courtesy of Graffard Racing
While Wootton Bassett (GB) missed out here as Maranoa Charlie was carried out on his shield, Coolmore's pre-eminent sire who had already done good on his now almost weekly black-type guarantee earlier on the card via the 2-year-old Nighttime (Fr) was still the key factor behind this story. That is because Woodshauna was breaking new ground as the first Group 1 winner for his second-crop sire, one of two sons of Wootton Bassett who have now achieved that feat alongside Almanzor (Fr).
Wooded, who shuttles to Swettenham Stud, began stud duties in France in 2021 and Australia in 2022. His first Southern Hemisphere crop will be 2-year-olds in 2025/26.
Woodshauna, who had cost Al Shaqab €70,000 (AU$127,000) as a yearling, was bred by Marie and Patrick Lemarié's Haras du Magouet in the Loire-Atlantique and is the first foal out of the German Listed-placed sprinter Tosen Shauna (Ire) (Alhebayeb {Ire}) who is a half to the dams of the G3 Curragh Stakes-placed Blood Moon (GB) (Equiano {Fr}) and the Listed Star Stakes runner-up Beat Seven (GB) (Beat Hollow {GB}).
Germany
History made in German Derby
By Sean Cronin, TDN Europe
With the late scratching of France's leading contender Juwelier (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), the path was left clear for domestic hope Hochkonig (Ger) (Polish Vulcano {Ger}) and British raider Convergent (Ire) (Fascinating Rock {Ire}) to battle out a thrilling finish to Sunday's G1 IDEE 156th Deutsches Derby at Hamburg.
The delayed photo verdict heightened the drama and the crowd erupted once Hochkonig was confirmed the short-head winner, with Nina Baltromei becoming the contest's first female rider to celebrate glory. Baltromei employed patient tactics from the outset and settled Hochkonig off the pace in rear for most of the 12-furlong test. Stall Lucky Owner's G2 Gran Criterium victor Lazio (GB) (Make Believe {GB}) fared best of the rest and ran on strongly to finish 2l adrift in third.
It was a second Classic of the year for Yasmin Almenrader, who also saddled runaway G2 German 2000 Guineas heroine Matilda (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}), and the trainer was emotional in the aftermath of a first success in Germany's premium event. “I am absolutely speechless,” she said. “I am somewhat overawed, by Hochkonig and by Nina, who rode such an intelligent race. Hochkonig is a real racehorse and he takes everything in his stride, but it does take a lot to win such a race. Many thanks also to the breeders Marc and Gabi (Ruehl).”
Owner Stall Cloverleaf has just two horses in training and, continuing the underdog theme, Hochkonig was bred by photographer Marc Ruehl along with his wife Gabi. They keep their horses at home, based near Bergheim, not far from the illustrious Gestut Schlenderhan. Hochkonig's sire Polish Vulcano is a son of Lomitas (GB), who is also the sire of top South African sire influence Silvano (Ger). Former amateur Nina Baltromei becomes the second apprentice to win the contest, emulating Otto Schmidt aboard Amorino in 1916, and this was her 50th career victory. The race was out of bounds for female jockeys until 1979.
“I have not yet comprehended that I actually won,” beamed Baltromei after receiving a boisterous reception from the packed enclosures. “This is absolutely awesome and especially so having received so much support from everyone.”
Hochkonig becomes the first Group 1 and Classic winner for his sire, who now has two Group winners from very few chances, the other being G3 St Leger Italiano victor Sir Vulcano (Ger). He is the latest of three live foals and one of two winners produced by Halinara (Ger) (Kallisto {Ger}), a multiple-winning granddaughter of Listed Silver Flash Stakes-third Honest Impulse (GB) (Persian Bold {Ire}), herself the dam of Listed Jungheinrich Gabelstapler victor Honorius (Ger) (Kings Lake {USA}).
