Europe
Super-smooth Aventure gets her Group 1 In 'The Vermeille'
By Tom Frary, TDN Europe
Having played bridesmaid in last year's Qatar Prix Vermeille and in the Arc, the Wertheimers' Aventure (Sea The Stars) put matters right in the first of those this time around without any degree of difficulty to earn a merited initial Group 1 victory. So easily was the homebred able to brush aside the Prix de Diane heroine Gezora (Almanzor) under a confident Maxime Guyon on Sunday, the prospect of her going one better in next month's showcase is now distinctively brighter.
“She won very well and accelerated really well,” trainer Christophe Ferland said of the 4-year-old, who was officially the 1.5l winner as the 1-2 favourite Whirl (Wootton Bassett) faded tamely to be last in the mile-and-a-half test. “My mission was to win a Group 1 with her and it's done, but she will be better in four weeks' time.”
Unlucky to come across Bluestocking (Camelot) twice last autumn, TDN Rising Star Aventure had come back to take the Allez France and Corrida without stress before running into another heavyweight in Calandagan (Gleneagles) in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. Handed time to refresh after that encounter, she looked a filly thriving here as she stamped her authority on this year's Classic generation.
Her winning time was a second slower than Byzantine Dream's (Epiphaneia) earlier on the card, but she was close to the Japanese runner's closing three-furlong sectional and able to put in a penultimate 10.59 which eclipsed anything achieved by all other runners in the card's Group races.
“I think she wasn't at her best in June and she's better at this time of year,” Ferland added. “It's good ground today, but if it's heavy next month then she will go on that as well. She's a perfect filly to train with such a nice attitude. “I was tense beforehand, because I wanted everything to go well but I can now approach the Arc with more serenity. That said, it's going to be a long four weeks!”
The Wertheimers' racing manager Pierre-Yves Bureau said, “She had long deserved her Group 1, but these are always very tough races to win and while the field was small, it was a quality one. It's a real relief–it's wonderful and she did it fairly easily. We know Aventure is not at all inconvenienced by softer ground, which could be important in four weeks' time.”
Interestingly, Gezora's closing three-furlong split was identical to Byzantine Dream's, while the third Bedtime Story (Frankel (GB) dipped under that with an impressive 33.07, so there is food for thought ahead of the Arc. Gezora may not have been able to add to Francis Graffard's Group 1 tally, but he was taking many positives from her run. “That was a very good performance from her on her return. She was beaten by a very good filly and finished strongly,” he said.
Wayne Lordan said of Bedtime Story, “I'm very pleased, as she settled well. It was her first try over a mile and a half and I thought she finished strongly. She can sometimes pull, so I made her relax and during the race she was a bit flat, but then suddenly she picked up. She ran a very good race and I think her form ties in with that of the French filly who finished second.”
Pedigree Notes: Aventure's is a family that continues to write new chapters. A half to the 2016 Vermeille heroine Left Hand (Dubawi), she is also kin to the Listed scorer Blissie (Dansili) who is in turn the dam of the recent G3 Prix Gontaut-Biron winner First Look (Lope De Vega) who was runner-up in last year's Prix du Jockey Club. She is also a half to Lope De Vega's Right Hand who produced Dubawi's Audubon Park, another smart prospect for this yard who took this term's Listed Prix Rose de Mai and was second in the G2 Prix Saint Alary.
The dam is the G2 Prix de Royallieu winner Balladeuse (Singspiel), a half to the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner Plumania (Anabaa) who in turn produced four Stakes performers including another smart Dubawi in the G2 Prix du Muguet victor Plumatic. Also connected to the dual G1 Prix Royal-Oak hero Double Major (Daiwa Major) and the 1988 Vermeille-winning champion Indian Rose, Balladeuse has an unraced three-year-old full-brother to Aventure named Astropark.
Graffard's faith in Sahlan pays off with surprise Moulin win
By Tom Frary, TDN Europe
Coming into Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix du Moulin de Longchamp very much under the radar, Al Shaqab's Sahlan (Wootton Bassett) became the latest of Francis Graffard's brigade to enter the spotlight during the trainer's unforgettable year. Edging a tight photo ahead of Rosallion (Blue Point), the highly-regarded 3-year-old whose finest hour prior to this had been a latest win in the G3 Prix Daphnis landed odds of 16-1 from racing's relentless hard-luck story.
Securing an unexpected eighth top-level victory for the stable in 2025, Mickael Barzalona thrust him to a short head verdict at the line, with a neck back to The Lion In Winter (Sea The Stars) and a further 0.5l to Alcantor (New Bay), who had tried to break free in the straight.
“I said to the owner 'it's a big gamble' but that we had very few options and he believed in me, so it's great that it paid off,” Graffard said in what has become familiar territory in the winner's enclosure, only a matter of minutes after the yard's Goliath had captured the Grosser Preis von Baden. “We've had some tricky moments with him, but I always liked this horse–not long ago, if I had said I'd win the Moulin, people would have thought I was crazy but the owners' trust really helped.”
“I took a risk, especially since his owners had already turned down some big offers but I told them we would win a Group 1 with him, even if it wasn't this year,” Graffard added. “I insisted they keep him and so I'm over the moon. He has such a powerful turn of foot and I also want to congratulate my team, who have done an extraordinary job with him.”
Introduced at Deauville in November, Sahlan did enough to warrant a tilt at the G3 Prix de Fontainebleau over this course and distance in April and after losing out by a nose to Ridari (Churchill) was pitched into the Poule d'Essai des Poulains. Drawn 13 for the mile Classic, he suffered traffic issues to compound the disadvantage he already faced from that stall and wound up under 5l ninth but by the time he re-emerged to be sixth in the Listed Prix de Saint-Patrick connections were beginning to harbour doubts.
By the time the winner was in full flow and getting to the enterprisingly-ridden Alcantor and the game The Lion In Winter late on, Sean Levey was flying on Rosallion but the line came too soon yet again for the British raider whose frustrating campaign lingers on. It will surprise nobody that the runner-up's closing three-furlong sectional was the fastest of the race and it is safe to say that the draw beat him this time.
For Graffard, the outcome was the important part as he revealed the issues the team had endured with the lightly-raced 3-year-old. “He had a lot of excuses in the Poule d'Essai and was then sick after running in his Listed race–when things don't go right, you have to know how to sit tight,” he said. “I won't run again on soft ground–that's the softest I'd run him on–and after speaking to the owners, if he is well the Breeders' Cup Mile could be a target–we will probably keep him in training at four.”
Al Shaqab's racing manager Rupert Pritchard-Gordon said, “This represents real teamwork between the Bouquetot Stud team and Francis-Henri Graffard's yard. He has a genuine turn of foot, which he had already shown in the past, and we've learned how to use that. He's fresh, in the right frame of mind and he has gained strength. He's on the upgrade. Back in November, after his debut at Deauville, we asked ourselves how far he could take us and the answer is very far!”
Richard Hannon was again left to ponder what might have been with the second. “It's extremely disappointing and hard to take,” he said. “Rosallion is tough and was the best horse in the race. Nobody did anything wrong. He will end up winning one, everybody agrees on that. In fact, he hasn't really been beaten, has he?”
Pedigree Notes: Becoming the 16th Group 1 winner for his sire, Sahlan is the first foal out of the German Listed scorer Wasmya (Toronado) who is kin to the Group-placed duo Wahdan (Siyouni) and Talbah (Style Vendome). The third dam is the G2 Blandford Stakes-placed Love To Dance (Sadler's Wells), a half to the stellar trio of Dylan Thomas (Danehill), Queen's Logic (Grand Lodge) and Homecoming Queen (Holy Roman Emperor) who produced the G2 Miss Grillo Stakes-placed Jazzique (Kingman). Also connected to the Derby hero Serpentine (Galileo), Wasmya's 2-year-old filly by Mehmas is named Demah, while she also has a yearling filly by Starspangledbanner and a colt foal again by Mehmas.
John Stewart’s Goliath back in the big time at Baden-Baden
By Tom Frary, TDN Europe
Putting some below-par efforts behind him on Sunday, Resolute Bloodstock and Philip Baron Von Ullmann's Goliath (Adlerflug) made all in the G1 Wettstar de Grosser Preis von Baden to continue his family's rich tradition in the prestigious affair. Sent off the 19-10 second favourite behind the even-money market-leader Dubai Honour (Pride Of Dubai), last year's King George hero saw off that raider in the final two furlongs to score by 1.25l under Clement Lecoeuvre.
Heading to Arc time, it is notable how much influence the winner's stablemate Calandagan would have had on that prize were he not restricted by his status as a gelding, with Goliath and the afternoon's Vermeille heroine Aventure in his wake in the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. That disappointing effort from this winner was the sole blowout on his record and while he was far better last time in Deauville's G3 Prix Gontaut-Biron, he still met with defeat so this was a welcome turnaround.
For Resolute Racing's John Stewart, the win capped a weekend of weekends as he was to reveal. “Chelsey and I would have been there, but we had our wedding yesterday in Kentucky,” he explained. “This is the best wedding gift! We are very pleased with the win and it's great to see him back in top form.”
“We are especially happy for our partner Philip Baron Von Ullman to get this win in Germany's most prestigious race,” he added. “We will talk with Francis and consider the Breeders' Cup or Japan Cup as potential options next.”
Pedigree Notes: Goliath's Listed-winning dam Gouache (Shamardal), whose daughter by Blackbeard is due to sell at the upcoming Tattersalls October Book 1, is a half to the triple Group winner Guardini (Dalakhani) descended from the G1 Oaks d'Italia heroine Guadalupe (Monsun). A full-sister to the 2009 Grosser Preis Von Baden hero Getaway, her son Guignol (Cape Cross) also captured this prize in 2017 while she produced Tertullian's G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis-winning sire Guiliani.
Other than the aforementioned Blackbeard, Gouache also has a winning 3-year-old full sister to Goliath named Go Flying, a 2-year-old filly by Magna Grecia named Grande Merci and a filly foal by Baaeed.
America
Gun Runner's Brant made of stern stuff in Del Mar Futurity win
By J.N. Campbell, TDN America
With a rocket in his pocket and a willingness to take on all comers in stride, 'TDN Rising Star' Brant (Gun Runner–Tynan, by Liam's Map) put up his dukes in the G1 Del Mar Futurity Stakes and landed Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert his record 19th score in the seaside oval's signature race on closing day.
Every moment the colt has had an opportunity to hit the track he has done so with a gusto to the stop the clock as soon as possible–no sundials here. After going to St. Clair Stables for $200,000 during Keeneland September, Brant steamed into OBS March and recorded a :9 3/5 during the under tack show. That certainly drew the eye of Zedan Racing & Co., and that is when their agent Donato Lanni signed the ticket for a cool $3 million, which made the 2-year-old the auction's topper.
Under Baffert's care, Brant went to work first at Los Alamitos in early April, then trucked over to 'The Great Race Place' a month later before shipping south to Del Mar for continued drills which were regularly eye-catching.
With Eclipse champion jockey Flavien Prat in to ride, Brant debuted at Del Mar July 26 as the 80 cents on the dollar chalk. Gunning his engine down the lane, the colt won handily by 5.25l over Doug O'Neill trainee Civil Liberty (Independence Hall) and his stablemate, future 'Rising Star' Balboa (Not This Time). Brant would take them both on once again in the Futurity. The maiden special weight effort earned the highly-regarded Baffert trainee his own TDN badge.
The Chalk (Improbable) fired out of the gate and immediately broke inward. Prat, aboard once more from back east, did his best to steer the juvenile into an even line, and the grey's speed took over as he led out of the chute and onto the main track. Brant was traveling beautifully up the backstretch, making every pole a winning one. However, he began to be pressed by stablemate Desert Gate (Omaha Beach), who had some of his momentum stifled because of traffic around the far turn. Entering the lane, with his pursuer nipping at his heels to his outside, Prat urged his mount on and Brant responded in-kind by seemingly calling out 'venga, venga.' In the end, the favorite netted the Futurity by a length over the game Desert Gate (Omaha Beach). Civil Liberty (Independence Hall) finished third.
“It started off a little anxious there,” said Assistant Trainer Jimmy Barnes. “He broke inward but he recovered quickly. Being pushed down toward the rail you have to be placed forward. He's a really talented horse. Actually, they all are. We're very happy.”
“I think he was ready for the day,” said jockey Flavien Prat. “When we broke he was very quick, he was very comfortable. He took a nice breather around the turn and we made it to the finish line.”
Pedigree Notes: The accomplished multiple leading sire Gun Runner (by Candy Ride {Arg}) now has 11 Grade 1 winners and an even 30 Graded winners to his illustrious credit. Those include champions like Sierra Leone and Echo Zulu, plus current sire Taiba who was campaigned by Zedan and trained by Baffert.
The winner is his dam's first foal. Tynan is responsible for a yearling filly by Candy Rid (Arg) and a weanling colt by Bolt d'Oro. She was not reported as bred for next season. Tynan was herself a $225,000 Keeneland September purchase by Brant's breeder PTK.
As for Brant's second dam that is GSP Pappascat (Scat Daddy), who produced current sire Pappacap (Gun Runner) and GSW Boppy O (Bolt d'Oro) who is in training. Last but not least, Al Qasr (Aptitude)–Peruvian Horse of the Year that was a Ken McPeek trainee in the U.S.–is the half-sister to Brant's third dam.
