Fabre Extends Force Record With Lope De Vega's Cualificar

Let go at 8-1 for Sunday's G3 Prix la Force at ParisLongchamp despite his trainer Andre Fabre holding the record of eight successes in the Prix du Jockey Club trial, Godolphin's Cualificar (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) emerged front and centre to extend that tally. Off the mark over 10 furlongs at Saint-Cloud last month, the son of the 2015 Oaks heroine Qualify (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) followed the early pace and had first run on The Aga Khan's Studs' 6-4 favourite Azimpour (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) to score by a neck. Juddmonte's New Ground (GB) (New Bay {GB}) was 3/4 of a length way in third. Azimpour showed his quality with a stunning final three-furlong split of 33.69, suggesting there will be a big day ahead for the market-leader.

“Today was the test to see if he could do well at this level,” Godolphin's Louise Benard said. “He has changed a lot from two to three, but we knew that because he was immature and had lots of room for improvement. He will certainly stay further, he is in the Prix du Jockey Club and in the Grand Prix de Paris so we will see which route Mr Fabre wants to take.”

🏆 Cualificar (@pouchinalexis / @godolphin) repousse les attaques de ses adversaires dans le Prix La Force (Gr.3) à @paris_longchamp

🔜 Le poulain d'André Fabre est engagé dans le Qatar Prix du Jockey Club, le 1er juin à Chantilly. pic.twitter.com/ryldDdbLpp

— Equidia (@equidia) April 6, 2025

Pedigree Notes
Cualificar's aforementioned dam Qualify, who is also responsible for the G3 Jebel Ali Mile winner Swing Vote (GB) from a mating with Lope De Vega's sire Shamardal, is a full-sister to Shogun (Ire) who was placed in the G2 Futurity Stakes, G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial and G3 Craven Stakes before becoming a champion in Bahrain. The second dam is the G2 Park Hill Stakes runner-up Perihelion (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), related to Juddmonte's important mare Eva Luna (Alleged) whose progeny are headed the G1 St Leger hero Brian Boru (GB) (Sadler's Wells). Also connected to the Derby and Arc hero Workforce (GB) (King's Best), Qualify has a 2-year-old filly by Pinatubo (Ire) named Harriet Quimby (Ire) and a colt foal by Dark Angel (Ire).

Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
PRIX LA FORCE-G3, €80,000, ParisLongchamp, 4-6, 3yo, c/g, 9fT, 1:50.02, gd.
1–CUALIFICAR (GB), 128, c, 3, by Lope De Vega (Ire)
1st Dam: Qualify (Ire) (G1SW-Eng & GSW-Ire, $485,356), by Fastnet Rock (Aus)
2nd Dam: Perihelion (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
3rd Dam: Medicosma, by The Minstrel
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Andre Fabre; J-Alexis Pouchin. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 4-2-0-1, €63,500. *1/2 to Swing Vote (GB) (Shamardal), GSW-UAE, $198,861. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Azimpour (Ire), 128, c, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Azmiyna (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Suc. H H The Aga Khan; B-H H The Aga Khan's Studs SC (FR); T-Francis-Henri Graffard. €16,000.
3–New Ground (GB), 128, c, 3, New Bay (GB)–Gaining (GB), by American Post. 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O/B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (GB); T-Henri-Francois Devin. €12,000.
Margins: NK, 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 8.10, 1.50, 6.70.
Also Ran: Dreamliner (Fr), Nizam (Fr), Reach The Sky (Fr), Waka Waka (Fr).