By Tom Frary
Successful on heavy ground on debut over 12 furlongs at Saint-Cloud Apr. 2 and runner-up to the leading G1 Prix de Diane candidate Shahnaza (Fr) (Azamour {Ire}) in the 11-furlong Listed Prix de la Seine at ParisLongchamp May 6, Ilse Smits's Pollara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) justified 8-5 favouritism in Sunday's G3 Prix de Royaumont at Chantilly. Held up by Olivier Peslier throughout the early stages, the bay went towards the rail to lead 150 metres out and that proved decisive as the unlucky Waldlied (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) stayed on late to close the gap to 1 1/4 lengths.
“She had already shown on debut that she had a good turn of foot and a kick at the finish and is improving all the time,” trainer Francis-Henri Graffard commented. “I think Olivier Peslier did well to bide his time and go inside rather than outside. She doesn't show much in the mornings and can be a little bit on edge, so we've done a lot of work on her and she has learned how to settle. She had a hood on going to the start which was removed there and that helped. We'll take it one race at a time, but I think logically we should follow the mile-and-a-half program and go for the [G2 Prix de] Malleret [at Saint-Cloud on July 1].”
Pedigree Notes…
Pollara is the fifth winner out of Brooklyn's Storm (Storm Cat) and is a half-sister to the MSW and G2 Prix de Sandringham third Stormina (Gulch), who in turn is the dam of the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac and G1 Prix Saint-Alary scorer Silasol (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}). Brooklyn's Storm, who has also produced a 2-year-old filly by Camelot (GB) sold for €120,000 to BBA Ireland at Arqana October and a yearling filly by Galileo (Ire), is herself a daughter of G3 Prix Cleopatre winner Brooklyn's Dance (Fr) (Shirley Heights {GB}) and thus a sibling of seven black-type performers headed by G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Solemia (Ire) (Poliglote {GB}). This is also the family of the G3 C L Weld Park S. winner Chintz (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) and her G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and G1 Sussex S.-winning son The Gurkha (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Sunday, Chantilly, France
PRIX DE ROYAUMONT-G3, €80,000, Chantilly, 6-3, 3yo, f, 12fT, 2:32.57, sf.
1–POLLARA (IRE), 126, f, 3, by Camelot (GB)
1st Dam: Brooklyn's Storm, by Storm Cat
2nd Dam: Brooklyn's Dance (Fr), by Shirley Heights (GB)
3rd Dam: Vallee Dansante, by Lyphard
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (160,000gns Ylg '16
TATOCT). O-Ilse Smits; B-Paget Bloodstock (IRE); T-Francis-
Henri Graffard; J-Olivier Peslier. €40,000. Lifetime Record:
3-2-1-0, €66,000. *1/2 to Stormina (Gulch), MSW-US &
GSP-Fr, $273,600. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Waldlied (GB), 126, f, 3, New Approach (Ire)–Waldlerche
(GB), by Monsun (Ger). O/B-Newsells Park Stud & Gestur
Ammerland (GB); T-Andre Fabre. €16,000.
3–Contessa du Barry (Fr), 126, f, 3, Motivator (GB)–Highborne
(Fr), by Anabaa (€90,000 Ylg '16 AROCT). O-Wendy Taylor &
Hubert Honore; B-Haras du Quesnay (FR); T-Nicolas Clement.
€12,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 3/4, 1. Odds: 1.60, 3.50, 13.00.
Also Ran: Maiden Voyage (Fr), Ajayeb (Ire), Tempel (Fr), Shaherezada (Ire), Alhseemah (GB). Click for the Racing Post result. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton
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