Declaration of War's Olmedo Swoops In the Poulains

ParisLongchamp's turf surface has been in the news for all the wrong reasons of late and that was the case again on Sunday as the G1 The Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains was tarnished by ground compromised by further rainfall in the capital. US Navy Flag (War Front) was affected, stumbling on the turn after three furlongs, and the knock-on effect there played a major part in the outcome of the contest. One of the chief sufferers at that point was Olmedo (Fr) (Declaration of War), who was forced to concede ground as Cristian Demuro dropped anchor on the downhill bend and had he failed to get up he would have been an unlucky loser. Fortune is one thing that his owners Antonio Caro and Gerard Augustin-Normand have no issue with, however, and the 'TDN Rising Star' still managed to come from behind and deny Hey Gaman (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) in the final 50 metres and register a neck success.

“These are the type of races these horses are being prepared for very carefully and I've always loved that horse,” trainer Jean-Claude Rouget commented while the jockeys entered sometimes heated debate with the stewards about the state of the ground, delaying the start of the Pouliches in the process. “He ran a great race on his return and has in fact never run a bad one. I was definitely convinced that better ground was going to make a difference, he was in great condition and he has proved his class.”

Olmedo earned instant 'TDN Rising Star' status when flashing his acceleration to score by four lengths from the subsequent pattern-race performer Alhadab (Fr) (Camelot {GB}) over 7 1/2 furlongs at Deauville in August. Afterwards, Rouget gave early warning of the winner's talent. “Of my 2-year-olds, he has always been the number one,” he stated at the time, so it was a minor upset that he suffered a narrow defeat by Godolphin's Stage Magic (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in the G3 Prix des Chenes next time over a mile at Chantilly in September. That was staged on soft ground and this was the first time since his debut that Olmedo had a surface that he did not sink into with the rain failing to materialise to the extent that was expected. His victory here asks a question as to the relative merits of the colts and fillies from last year's juvenile crop, with Ballydoyle's Happily (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) gaining the upper hand over him on the only meaningful occasion the two sexes have met in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere also at Chantilly in October.

Second on his return to Wootton (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in the course-and-distance G3 Prix de Fontainebleau Apr. 15, his obvious prospects had been boosted by the performance of the fourth-placed Rostropovich (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in Chester's Listed Dee S. this week and the draw was also kind.

From the break it was US Navy Flag who was sent forward from his outside stall with Ryan Moore intent on overcoming that obstacle despite connections's stamina concerns. Demuro was happy to let the eventual winner coast along in fifth, with the Ballydoyle representative joined by the British challenger Hey Gaman on the front end and all went smoothly until the leader took a false step on the turn which prompted Hey Gaman's rider James Doyle to snatch up and create a concertina affect in behind. That set off the already-keen Wootton and he tanked his way up to third with Mickael Barzalona struggling to contain the 19-10 market-leader, while Olmedo was shuffled back towards the rear.

In fairness to Moore, Coolmore's number one never flinched despite the stumble and continued to ask US Navy Flag to apply pressure. Once straightened the riders could let fly and Dice Roll (Fr) (Showcasing {GB}) nipped up the cutaway rail to engage the front duo with 300 metres to race as Hey Gaman began to assert his superior stamina. Cristian Demuro was closing with every long stride as Olmedo unleashed his prime asset and it was perfectly-judged in the end as he overwhelmed Hey Gaman and Dice Roll just before the line.

Rouget was celebrating back-to-back wins in this Classic, which he won for the first time with Brametot (Ire) (Rajsaman {Fr}) on Deauville's straight course last year, a 13th Classic in total of which a staggering nine had been registered since 2014. That represents a 50% strike rate in that period, during which either Ant Caro or Gerard Augustin-Normand were involved with the hero or heroine a remarkable eight times. Brametot went on to win the G1 Prix du Jockey Club and the Pau maestro has his eyes on the Chantilly Classic again with Olmedo.

“Mr. Caro and Mr. Augustin-Normand have an amazing strike-rate at the highest level and I would imagine if all is well we will head to the [June 3] Prix du Jockey Club,” he said.

Hey Gaman was stepping up from seven furlongs for the first time, having finished third in Newbury's G3 Greenham S. on his return over seven furlongs Apr. 21, and he almost provided rookie trainer James Tate with a breakthrough Classic victory. “He ran a very good race,” he said. “He ran a little bit too keen in the Greenham and will now go straight to the [G1] St James's Palace [S. at Royal Ascot June 19].”

Wootton's trainer Henri-Alex Pantall was left bemused by the race and said of the fourth-placed favourite, “I am very frustrated and disappointed, as every bad thing that could have happened happened today. He stumbled out of the gate and when the horse in front stumbled to avoid him the horse took off and couldn't deliver his best afterwards on those conditions. I had hoped we would learn a lot, but I have to say I'm still in the dark as to whether to go to the Jockey Club or stay at a mile.”

Pedigree Notes…

Olmedo's success represents a breakthrough for Declaration of War, who began his career with Rouget and whose first crop are really beginning to hit their stride now. He was at his best on a fast surface, as he proved when winning the 2013 G1 Juddmonte International S., and it is likely that Olmedo will improve again if he ever gets top-of-the-ground. His dam Super Pie (Pivotal {GB}) was a modest performer for Jean-Pierre-Joseph Dubois, but her dam was the G3 Prix Penelope runner-up Super Lina (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}) who is herself a half-sister to the G2 Prix Noailles-winning sire and G1 Prix du Jockey Club runner-up Super Celebre (Fr) (Peintre Celebre). The third dam, the unraced Supergirl (Woodman) is a half-sister to four stakes winners headed by the four-times Grade I-winning US turf champion Steinlen (GB) (Habitat) whose exploits include a victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile. This is also the family of the runaway G1 Irish Derby hero Zagreb (Theatrical {Ire}), this stable's five-times Group or Grade 1-winning Prix de Diane heroine Stacelita (Fr) (Monsun {GB}) and the G1 Deutsches Derby heroine Schwarzgold (Ger). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

Sunday, Longchamp, France
THE EMIRATES POULE D'ESSAI DES POULAINS-G1, €600,000, LCP, 5-13, 3yo, c, 8fT, 1:37.72, gd.
1–OLMEDO (FR), 128, c, 3, by Declaration of War
1st Dam: Super Pie, by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Super Lina (Fr), by Linamix (Fr)
3rd Dam: Supergirl, by Woodman
   1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN.
'TDN Rising Star'. (€100,000 Ylg '16 ARAU2). O-Ecurie Antonio
Caro & Gerard Augustin-Normand; B-Dream With Me Stable
Inc (FR); T-Jean-Claude Rouget; J-Cristian Demuro. €342,840.
Lifetime Record: 5-2-3-0, €468,350. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click
   for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”frbc-trained-in-france-2018″]2–Hey Gaman (GB), 128, c, 3, New Approach (Ire)–Arsaadi (Ire),
by Dubawi (Ire). (100,000gns RNA Ylg '16 TATOCT). O-Sultan
Ali; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd (GB); T-James Tate. €137,160.
3–Dice Roll (Fr), 128, c, 3, Showcasing (GB)–Schlague (Fr), by
Pulpit. (€130,000 Ylg '16 AROCT). O-Giacomo Algranti & Haras
d'Etreham; B-Gestut Zur Kuste AG (FR); T-Fabrice Chappet.
€68,580.
Margins: NK, NO, 1 3/4. Odds: 2.60, 32.00, 4.20.
Also Ran: Wootton (Fr), U S Navy Flag, Kings Shield, Infernal Majesty (Fr), Il Primo Sole (GB), Magic Bibou (Fr), Francesco Bere (Fr), Louis d'Or (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.