France
Fallen Angel rewards Wathan Racing in G1 Rothschild
By Tom Frary, TDN Europe
An entirely different proposition away from home soil, Wathnan Racing's 4-year-old mare Fallen Angel (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) regained Danny Tudhope and her mojo on Sunday to pick up the winning thread again in Deauville's G1 Prix Rothschild. Benefitting from the reestablishment of a connection that had been ruptured after her success in the Irish 1000 Guineas last May, the 10-1 shot outstayed the 8-5 favourite January (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) to prevail by a head for a first success in these silks. Start Of Day (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) was 1.5l away in third.
“Toughness is her strong point–I was a bit worried about the ground, but it had dried a bit and she handled it fine,” the winning rider said of the winner, who had also garnered the Moyglare Stud Stakes in Ireland as a 2-year-old and had gone four starts winless since her Classic success. “She's been an absolute superstar for me and I'm grateful to be back on her. I have to thank Wathnan and the team at Karl Burke's.”
Purchased by Wathnan before her Matron Stakes appearance in September, Fallen Angel had run second in that Leopardstown contest before trying 10 furlongs in ParisLongchamp's Prix de l'Opera on Arc day. Beaten under two lengths in fourth there, the grey had returned to be sixth when too fresh in the Lockinge before improving for the fitting of cheekpieces when third behind Crimson Advocate (Nyquist) and Cinderella's Dream in Royal Ascot's G2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes in June. She hadn’t won since the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas last May.
“I'm absolutely delighted to have a Group 1 winner for Wathnan, they've been huge supporters and long may it continue,” Karl Burke said. “I'm delighted for Danny as well–I was a little surprised James went the way he did. I know Crimson Advocate beat us at Ascot, but we needed that bit better ground, the cheekpieces made a bit of difference and her work has taken a step forward since Ascot, especially over the last two weeks.
“She doesn't want any firmness in it like she had at Ascot where, coming round the bend, her head just came up a bit,” he added. “She's such an honest game mare and she was battling back in the last 100 yards then, as she did today. She only does what you ask her to do and Aidan's filly coming to her helped her. I would imagine the Matron is the next port of call and hopefully we'll have some nice ground at that time of year. The way she's won that, I'd be happy to stick at a mile.”
Fallen Angel is currently the last known foal out of the G2 May Hill Stakes winner and G1 Fillies' Mile runner-up Agnes Stewart (Lawman) who is also responsible for the G3 Stanerra Stakes runner-up Divine Jewel (Frankel). Kin to the Listed River Eden Stakes winner and G3 La Prevoyante Stakes and G3 Orchid Stakes-placed Sorrel (Dansili), she hails from the family of the G1 National Stakes-winning sire Definite Article.
Group 1 targets for unbeaten Group 3 winner
By Tom Frary, TDN Europe
Leaving it late to extend her unbeaten record to three on Sunday, the Wertheimers' 3-year-old filly Green Spirit (USA) (Kingman {GB}) was in front where it mattered at the death in Deauville's G3 Sky Sports Racing Prix Six Perfections. Successful twice at Saint-Cloud in May and June, the Christopher Head-trained homebred needed every yard of the seven-furlong trip to reel in the Albany third Balantina (Ten Sovereigns) but was favoured by the bob to register a short-head success as the Aga Khan Studs Narissa (Siyouni) finished 1.5l away in third.
“She is very courageous, very tenacious and the way she found a second gear with quite a lot of ground to make up is a real good sign,” Head said. “She will most probably appreciate the mile–I'll discuss it with the owners, but it looks like the Prix d'Aumale will be next and then the Marcel Boussac.”
Green Spirit, who becomes the 60th Group winner for her sire, is the second of that type for the G3 Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial runner-up Sapphire Pendant (Danehill Dancer) after the G3 Prix des Chenes and G3 Prix Bertrand du Breuil scorer Ecrivain (Lope De Vega). Also responsible for the Listed-placed Starifique (Sea The Stars), she is kin to four other Stakes perfomers including Lacadena (Fasliyev), who is in turn the dam of the G3 Turnback the Alarm Handicap winner and G1 Delaware Handicap and G1 Mother Goose Stakes-placed America (A.P. Indy).
America is also the dam of Curlin's First Captain, who captured the G3 Pimlico Special Stakes and G3 Dwyer Stakes and was third in the G1 Jockey Club Gold Cup, while her half-sister Paris Bikini (Bernardini) produced that sire's G1 American Oaks heroine Paris Lights.
Green Spirit's Kentucky Oaks-winning third dam Blush With Pride (Blushing Groom) boasts five Stakes performers, most notably the G2 Demoiselles Stakes winner Better Than Honour (Deputy Minister) who in turn produced the Belmont winners Rags To Riches (A. P. Indy) and Jazil (Seeking The Gold), while her descendants include the likes of Peeping Fawn (Danehill), Streaming (Smart Strike) and another Belmont winner in Arcangelo (Arrogate).
Germany
Fifth G1 German Oaks for trainer Schiergen
By Sean Cronin, TDN Europe
Gestut Ebbesloh's G3 Preis der Winterkonigin victrix Nicoreni (Ger) (Brametot {Ire}) finished second in both prior starts this term and she put her head in front where it mattered most and provided trainer Peter Schiergen with a fifth renewal of Sunday's G1 167th Henkel-Preis der Diana (German Oaks) at Dusseldorf.
“It always feels good to win such a traditional event,” reflected Schiergen. “The filly has never done anything wrong. She was close up in both her previous starts this year, and won the G3 Preis der Winterkonigin at two. Leon (Wolff) did everything right and I what I really like about him is that he sticks to the riding instructions.”
Wolff added, “That was absolutely awesome. There was a good strong pace, I had an excellent trip and found a free passage in the straight. Nicoreni is a true stayer and gives everything she has. She is 450 kilograms of horse with 500 kilograms of heart! It feels so good to win this Classic with such a long-standing family breeding operation.”
Gestut Ebbesloh's Bina von Schubert commented, “I really did not think it was possible, but she did it and I am so happy. We have had two homebred winners of the race, Adlerfee in 1938 and Arkona in 1993, and it is all hard work until you come to this point. It is the development and care of our traditional damlines to keep the standard which is so important and ever so rewarding.”
The 68-5 chance, runner-up in May's G3 Schwarzgold-Rennen and June's G3 Diana-Trial, tracked the leaders in sixth for most of this 11-furlong Classic. Bustled along with a quarter-mile remaining, she came under sterner urging thereafter and was driven out to deny long-time leader Innora (Ger) (Lord Of England {Ger}) by a half-length in a bunch finish. Nyra (Ger) (Isfahan {Ger}) kept on well in the closing stages and was a short-head back in third, while the international challengers Garden Of Eden (Saxon Warrior) and Spirited Style (Sea The Stars) were unable to land a telling blow and finished ninth and 10th, respectively.
Nicoreni, who becomes the first Group 1 winner for her sire, is the seventh of nine foals and one of six scorers from as many runners produced by Listed Kolner Zweijahrigen Trophy victrix Nouvelle Neige (Big Shuffle). The April-foaled homebred bay is a half-sister to the dual Group 3-placed New York City (Sea The Moon), the dual stakes-placed Scandinavian champion Nouvelle Lune (Sea The Moon) and to the dam of the dual Group 3-placed New Emerald (Protectionist). Nouvelle Neige, who is the leading performer out of Listed Frankfurter Stutenpreis winner and G1 Preis der Diana (German Oaks) third Nouvelle Fortune (Alzao), has a yearling colt and weanling colt by Sea The Moon to come.
