Europe
Aventure downs Diamond Necklace in the Romanet
By Tom Frary
The Wertheimers' sensational Deauville August Festival continued apace on Sunday as their star mare Aventure (Sea The Stars) took the honours in the G1 Sumbe Prix Jean et Louis Romanet.
If the market was to be believed, the unbeaten Diamond Necklace (St Mark's Basilica) needed only to turn up to collect but her flat finale paved the way for the Christophe Ferland-trained 5-year-old to capitalise.
Enjoying a perfect ground-saving trip under cover, the 7-1 shot who had captured last year's G1 Prix Vermeille was launched by Maxime Guyon approaching the final furlong and soon had the measure of Ballydoyle's 2-5 favourite en route to a comprehensive two-length success. Diamond Necklace held on to second by a head from the outsider Timeforshowcasing (Showcasing).
“She really did something today, she was perfectly ridden,” trainer Christophe Ferland said. “She loved that strong pace and 2000 metres is really her thing now as she's got faster. We still have some stalls work to do, but she was impressive today giving four kilos away is a real top mare now–the mare of a lifetime. There is always pressure when you bring horses like her to the races and thankfully so.”
“She (Aventure) really did something today, she was perfectly ridden.” - Christophe Ferland
Even when Aventure was winning over a mile and a half as a 3-year-old, she was showing potent acceleration and it may be that she was finding that trip a stretch even when runner-up to Bluestocking (Camelot) in the Vermeille and Arc of that season.
She did land the Vermeille last September, beating the subsequent G1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf heroine Gezora (Almanzor), but came unstuck on testing ground back in the Arc and had been overwhelmed by Calandagan (Gleneagles) in the last two runnings of the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.
In the last two renewals of the 10 and a half furlong G2 Prix Corrida, the homebred had dealt with the star fillies Survie (Churchill) and Sunly (Night Of Thunder) with her killer kick and whatever the betting market indicated beforehand, was plain and simple the fastest in this line-up. Her final three furlongs were completed in 35.27s, with each sectional quicker than Diamond Necklace and no hint of fluke.
Ferland has no intention of trying the Arc for a third time.
“She'll go to the Opera and then the Breeders' Cup (Filly & Mare Turf), with Hong Kong potentially bringing her season to a close although nothing has been decided yet,” he stated. “Seeing her confirm her ability at this level over 2000 metres really opens up some exciting possibilities.
“Seeing her (Aventure) confirm her ability at this level over 2000 metres really opens up some exciting possibilities.” - Christophe Ferland
“She is a fantastic mare and this success rewards a huge number of people. The whole team deserves congratulations–the breeder, the owners, but also everyone at the stud and the stable who works every day to breed, raise and prepare these horses. It is a genuine team effort.”
Pedigree notes: Aventure's G1 Prix de Royallieu-winning dam Balladeuse (Singspiel) is also responsible for the fellow Vermeille heroine Left Hand (Dubawi) and the Listed scorer Blissie (Dansili), who is in turn the dam of the G2 Prix Dollar winner and G1 Prix du Jockey Club runner-up First Look (Lope De Vega).
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, she is also connected to the dual G1 Prix Royal-Oak hero Double Major (Daiwa Major).
Aventure's Group-placed half-sister Romanciere (Dansili) is the dam of Saturday's TDN Rising Star Allela (Night Of Thunder), joining another from those ranks in the exciting 3-year-old gelding Zaraki (Zarak) who showed in the recent Listed Prix Nureyev that he could be Arc material in 2027.
Morny glory for Victorious Forever's Cheveley Park-bound Senorita Bonita
By Sean Cronin
Presented with an opening after the scratching of Great Barrier Reef (No Nay Never) from Sunday's G1 Sumbe Prix Morny at Deauville, Victorious Forever's G2 Duke Of Cambridge victrix Senorita Bonita (Starspangledbanner)–who was the 900,000gns (AU$1.8 million) Craven Breeze-Up topper in April–delivered a stunning burst of acceleration to plunder the six-furlong contest in mightily impressive fashion.
“That was a fantastic performance and all roads lead to the (G1) Cheveley Park (at Newmarket) at the end of September,” beamed Simon Crisford, who took this contest with Vandeek in 2023.
“They set some very good fractions up front, she's shown a great turn of foot and she finished off super well. She was a little bit slow out of the gates and behind the bridle early, but they were going quick and the race set up for the closers. She was the best of the closers and galloped out strongly.
“At halfway I briefly thought we might have a mountain to climb here, but she's (Senorita Bonita) got such a good turn of foot that at the furlong pole you could see she was going to come home strong.” - Simon Crisford
“At halfway I briefly thought we might have a mountain to climb here, but she's got such a good turn of foot that at the furlong pole you could see she was going to come home strong. It was a deep, deep renewal and any Group 1 is fantastic to win. It's a great testament to the staff back at home and everyone involved and it's great to win for Shaikh Nasser (bin Hamed Al Khalifa) and Shaikh Khalid (bin Hamed Al Khalifa).”
Oisin Murphy was equally ebullient in his praise for the winner. “She's got an awful lot of speed and her work leading into the race, at Newmarket about 10 days ago, was fantastic,” he said.
“The only time she's been beaten was in the Queen Mary and I thought her preparation for today was perfect. We'd planned to relax her wherever she was happy and allow the race to unfold because she has a very good turn of foot. To compare her to other good fillies I've ridden at two, she's certainly towards the level of Porta Fortuna and Alcohol Free.
“To compare her (Senorita Bonita) to other good fillies I've ridden at two, she's certainly towards the level of Porta Fortuna and Alcohol Free.” - Oisin Murphy
“I've had three Group 1 winners for Victorious Racing this year, the owners and breeders are here and I'm delighted for them.”
Oisin Murphy | Image courtesy of the Hong Kong Jockey Club
The 13-5 favourite employed patient tactics and raced several lengths off the clear leader Carry The Flag (No Nay Never) in sixth through the early fractions.
Stirred into action with 350 metres remaining, she quickened to go second entering the final furlong and unleashed an array of gears to sweep by Carry The Flag in the closing stages, en route to an eye-catching four-length career high.
Carry The Flag made a bold attempt off the front under Ronan Whelan and kept on in determined fashion to withstand the late charge of the hitherto undefeated Kosuma (Night Of Thunder) by a short-neck for second.
Pedigree notes: Senorita Bonita, who had previously added a G2 Queen Mary second to a Nottingham debut win, was put through Tattersalls' Craven ring by Mark Flannery, on behalf of Churchtown House Stud's Anne and Michael Gaffney, and knocked down to Anthony Stroud.
Becoming her sire's 12th Group 1 winner here, she is the first of three foals produced by an unraced sibling of G3 Prix de Royaumont winner Sub Rose (Galileo), Listed Princess Royal victrix Astonishing (Galileo) and the stakes-placed Shore Break (Footstepsinthesand).
Sub Rose is the dam of the dual Group-winning G1 Champion Stakes third Subway Dancer (Shamardal) and Group 3 winner Secret Advisor (Dubawi), while Astonishing's quartet of black-type performers includes the Group 3 winner Dr Omran (Palace Pier) and the multiple Group-placed Gold Maze (Golden Horn).
The winner's third dam is the Group 2-winning G1 Coronation Stakes and G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois placegetter Magic Gleam (Danzig). Hailing from the family of the US Fillies' Triple Crown heroine Davona Dale (Best Turn), Senorita Bonita is kin to a yearling filly by Modern Games and a weanling filly by Sioux Nation.
'There doesn't seem to be a bottom to him': McMonagle hails Melbourne-bound Defiantly
By Tom Frary
Not content with a Curragh five-timer on Saturday, Dylan Browne McMonagle carried over his streak to Deauville on Sunday when guiding Defiantly (Kameko) to a dominant win in the G2 Sumbe Prix Kergorlay.
Sent to the front from the break, Australia Bloodstock's impressive Goodwood Handicap winner kept it honest throughout the 15-furlong test and as a result took the high-class mare Santorini Star (Golden Horn) and the 2024 and 2025 winner Double Major (Daiwa Major) out of their comfort zones.
At the line, the margins were five and a half, and five lengths, with Joseph O'Brien's 4-year-old now guaranteed a berth in the G1 Melbourne Cup after winning this.
“He's got better with every run this year and is a strong stayer who is always behind the bridle,” the jockey sensation of 2026 said. “He picked up well off the bend and kept finding. There doesn't seem to be a bottom to him, he always keeps a bit in the locker and he killed them off one by one. He handles fast ground well, so the owners have a nice fun horse to go to Melbourne with.”
“There doesn't seem to be a bottom to him (Defiantly), he always keeps a bit in the locker and he killed them off one by one.” - Dylan Browne McMonagle
The trainer, who is also enjoying a relative domination of his own at present, thinks that Flemington is a possibility.
“Dylan gave him a lovely ride and he's obviously a horse that's improving rapidly,” he said. “I thought that when he hadn't gone for the stick by the time he got down to the 400-metre marker, it was going to be hard to pass him. I'd imagine it'll be the Melbourne Cup, but we'll speak to the ownership.”
“We came here to find out if that was going to be on the cards and it looks like it might be,” he added. “Every horse is different, but he probably compares a little bit with Twilight Payment who used to go to the lead and stayed very well. This is a very good trial for it and there are plenty of reasons to be positive.”
Dylan Browne McMonagle | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
Pedigree notes: Defiantly, who becomes the fifth Group winner for his sire, is out of the strong-staying Listed winner Roheryn (Galileo) whose five Group placings included a third in the G2 Blandford Stakes over 10 furlongs. She is also responsible for the high-class Buckaroo (Fastnet Rock), a smart horse for this stable before heading to Australia to win the G1 Underwood Stakes and be second in the G1 Cox Plate and G1 Caulfield Cup, the dual Group 3 winner Middle Earth (Roaring Lion) and the Group 3-placed Siege Of Troy (Siyouni).
The second dam La Chunga (More Than Ready) was at the other end of the spectrum, taking the G3 Albany Stakes and G3 Summer Stakes over six furlongs, with the family also featuring the G1 Hollywood Derby hero Steve's Friend. Roheryn's 2-year-old colt by Siyouni is named Arrow River, while she also has a filly foal by Justify.
Woot Woot has Breeders' Cup option after triumph in the Calvados
By Sean Cronin
LNJ Foxwoods' €250,000 (AU$407,000) Arqana August graduate Woot Woot (Wootton Bassett) ran third in Deauville's G3 Prix Six Perfections three weeks ago and put herself in the mix for this year's Breeders' Cup meet after making all to secure a career high in Sunday's G2 Sumbe Prix du Calvados back at the Normandy venue.
“She's an incredible filly, Christophe (Soumillon) did a great job and it was a real pleasure to see her win in that fashion,” said trainer Christopher Head. “It is a very difficult task for a filly to win the Calvados from the front, because most of the time they fade before the end, but she just kept going. Clearly, she is a real miler and she will do a fine job over that trip in the future.
“It is a very difficult task for a filly to win the Calvados from the front, because most of the time they fade before the end, but she (Woot Woot) just kept going.” - Christopher Head
“She obviously has a (G1 Prix) Marcel Boussac entry and we really want her to do the best she can at the end of the season. We will have a strong discussion regarding the rest of the year because it is important for her to go to the US.”
The 16-5 second favourite, who had previously won one of two starts at Saint-Cloud, was the sharpest of six into stride, breaking from the inside stall, and seized immediate control of this seven-furlong distaffers' contest.
Comfortably clear of her rivals by halfway, she was shaken up with 300 metres remaining and maintained a relentless tempo under mild urging in the closing stages to easily overpower Le Bon Temps Roule (Sioux Nation) and Yuquot (Kingman) by three and a half-length, and two and a half-length margins.
Pedigree notes: Woot Woot, who becomes her sire's 63rd pattern-race winner, is the latest of six foals and first black-type scorer produced by stakes-winning G3 Prix Cleopatre third Penny Lane (Lord Of England), herself a full sister to G1 Preis der Diana heroine Palmas.
Penny Lane is also kin to the dual Group 3 winner Peace Royale (Sholokhov), G3 Fahrhofer Stutenpreis scorer Peaceful Love (Dashing Blade) and G2 Park Hill runner-up Phiz (Galileo).
Peace Royale, in turn, produced Group 3-winning G2 German 2000 Guineas runner-up Peace In Motion (Hat Trick) and the dual Listed winner Peace Society (Iffraaj), while Peaceful Love produced three black-type performers headed by G3 Prix La Force winner Pao Alto (Intello).
The winner is a full sister to G3 Prix La Force runner-up and TDN Rising Star Padishakh.
