By Tom Frary
Earning a tilt at black-type with a conditions win over 10 1/2 furlongs at Saint-Cloud Mar. 30, Ecurie Tepper, Ecurie des Charmes and Gerard Augustin-Normand's Cartiem (Fr) (Cape Cross {Ire}) went back to that course and distance to justify the faith of connections in Wednesday's G3 Prix Penelope. With the exciting Fabre runner Secret Walk (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) withdrawn, there were just four left to contest this trial for the June 16 G1 Prix de Diane and Christophe Soumillon was quickly dictating moderate fractions on Phoceene (Fr) (Olympic Glory {Ire}) with Cartiem free in the hands of Cristian Demuro in second. Left trailing by the front-runner in early straight, the bay who traded as the third-favourite at just over 2-1 managed to rally and cut down that rival in the final metres for a neck success. “Christophe did a good job slowing down the pace and my filly was a little keen in behind as a result,” winning trainer Jean-Claude Rouget commented. “I didn't think she could win that, but she showed a very good turn of foot like all good horses have and she had shown that last time too. The Penelope has been put back a little bit in the calendar this year and the timing to the Diane is now perfect for light fillies like her. That's where we are going now and I don't think we've seen the best of her yet, so we have to be hopeful.”
Cartiem is the first foal out of Mintaka (Fr) (Zamindar), a member of His Highness the Aga Khan's brigade who was saddled up in the 2014 G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches by Alain de Royer-Dupre only to finish well-beaten before being sold for €90,000 at that year's Arqana December Mares Sale. Her dam Minatlya (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}) took the G3 Prix de Royaumont before producing the Listed Prix de Thiberville winner Mila (Fr) from a mating with Cartiem's sire Cape Cross. Minatlya is a full-sister to Manighar (Fr), whose three group 1 victories in Australia include the Tancred S. and Australian Cup, while the fourth dam Mintly (Key To The Mint) is kin to the Selima S. heroine Minstrel's Lassie (The Minstrel). Mintaka's 2-year-old filly by Charm Spirit (Ire) was bought by Rouget for €70,000 at Arqana October and named Paroleetmusique (Ire).
Wednesday, Saint-Cloud, France
PRIX PENELOPE-G3, €80,000, Saint-Cloud, 5-1, 3yo, f, 10 1/2fT, 2:16.14, gd.
1–CARTIEM (FR), 126, f, 3, by Cape Cross (Ire)
1st Dam: Mintaka (Fr), by Zamindar
2nd Dam: Minatlya (Fr), by Linamix (Fr)
3rd Dam: Mintly Fresh, by Rubiano
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€140,000 Ylg '17 AROCT). O-SARL Ecurie Jean-Louis Tepper, Ecurie des Charmes & Gerard Augustin-Normand; B-Rashit Shaykhutdinov, Haras du Mezeray SA & Christophe Clement (FR); T-Jean-Claude Rouget; J-Cristian Demuro. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0, €71,000. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Phoceene (Fr), 126, f, 3, Olympic Glory (Ire)–Atlantic Slew (Fr), by Helissio (Fr). (€47,000 Ylg '17 ARQAUG). O-Haras de la Gousserie; B-SCEA Haras du Ma & Mme Elise Drouet (FR); T-Frederic Rossi. €16,000.
3–Romanciere (Ire), 126, f, 3, Dansili (GB)–Balladeuse (Fr), by Singspiel (Ire). O/B-Wertheimer & Frere (IRE); T-Andre Fabre. €12,000.
Margins: NK, 3/4, 3. Odds: 2.10, 1.90, 1.20.
Also Ran: Agnes (Fr). Scratched: Secret Walk (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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