Another ‘Jewel’ for team Head-Wertheimer

Off the mark on debut over 10 furlong at Saint-Cloud Mar. 10, Queen’s Jewel (Pivotal {GB}) added further ammunition to Freddy Head’s Classic assault in 2015 with a strong performance in this stepping stone to the G1 Prix de Diane. Having registered a comfortable debut win over the subsequent scorer Taniya (Fr) (High Chaparral {Ire}), the chestnut had to prove she could mix it in this company but the assembled punters fully believed with some positive stable vibes surrounding her. 

Settled in third initially, the homebred had sauntered to second by halfway and when shaken up at the top of the stretch began to apply the pressure. Gradually edging further ahead under driving from Maxime Guyon from the quarter pole, she was firmly on top at the line with her trainer eyeing a potential top-level engagement. “She won well first time, but had not run on ground this fast and so took a little while to find her best stride,” Head explained. “She won quite nicely in the end, but I don’t yet know just how good she is. I think she is quite good and you’ll see her again in either the [May 13] G3 Prix Cleopatre back here or the G1 Prix Saint-Alary [at Longchamp May 24].”

Tuesday, Saint-Cloud, France
PRIX PENELOPE-G3, €80,000, SCD, 4-14, 3yo, f, 10 1/2fT, 2:18.19, gd.
1–#@QUEEN’S JEWEL, 126, f, 3, by Pivotal (GB)
         1st Dam: Safari Queen (Arg) (Ch. 2yo Filly & MG1SW-Arg, MGSW-US, $632,239), by Lode
         2nd Dam: Safari Girl (Arg), by Sonus (Ire)
         3rd Dam: Sally Girl (Arg), by Fain (Arg)
   O/B-Wertheimer & Frere (GB); T-Freddy Head; J-
   Maxime Guyon. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 2 starts,
   2 wins, €52,500. *1/2 to Royalmania (GB) (Elusive
   Quality), SW & GSP-Fr, $120,702. Werk Nick Rating:
   C. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Spring Leaf (Fr), 126, f, 3, Footstepsinthesand (GB)-
   -Spring Wave (Ire), by Dr Fong. O/B-Haras de la
   Perelle; T-Stephane Wattel. €16,000.
3–Princess Charm (Ire), 126, f, 3, Rip Van Winkle (Ire)-
   -Gold Charm (Ger) (SW-Fr), by Key of Luck. (€15,000
   RNA wlng ‘12 ARQDEC; €8,000 yrl ‘13 ARQOCT).
   O-Gerard Tocze, Carlos Lerner, Yann Lerner, Michel
   Tocze, Romain Tocze & Mme Sylviane Tocze;
   B-Malcolm Parrish (Ire); T-Carlos & Yann Lerner.
   €12,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, 1HF, SHD. Odds: 1.90, 10.00, 7.20.
Also Ran: Balsamine, Baltic Comtesse (Fr), Starsic (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.