Holdthasigreen Makes All In the Cadran

Making all in the testing ground prevalent at ParisLongchamp on Saturday, Holdthasigreen (Fr) (Hold That Tiger) reversed last year's placings in the G1 Qatar Prix du Cadran with Call the Wind (GB) (Frankel {GB}) for a popular success. Whereas George Strawbridge's 5-year-old had 1 1/4 lengths to spare over Jean Gilbert and Claude Le Lay's veteran 12 months ago, the tables were turned this time with 3/4 of a length between them and the same margin back to Dee Ex Bee (GB) (Farhh {GB}) after a pulsating finale between the three marathon men. Afterwards, part-owner and former trainer Claude Le Lay outlined the battle that the 7-year-old had to endure to get back to this peak. “He had run two moderate races, which can happen, but two below-par efforts in a row is not him at all,” he explained. “We ran some blood tests on him and the results came back bad, showing a severe blood disorder so we put him under treatment. We knew he was coming back in great form, but you can never be confident they will be fit enough after three months off. He definitely had his ground for the first time in a very long time, but he also has something else which is a tremendous fighting spirit. He loves a battle, he never gives up and left it all out on the track again.”

Holdthasigreen's excusable poor recent efforts when fifth in the G2 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier May 26 and G2 Prix Maurice de Nieuil July 14 proceeded a win in the G3 Prix de Barbeville also here Apr. 28. One of the few stayers to have beaten Marmelo (GB) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}), as he did in the G2 Prix Kergorlay at Deauville last August, he ended his 2018 campaign with success in the G1 Prix Royal-Oak at Chantilly and is due to return to that race at its traditional home here Oct. 27. “We will see how he comes out of this and, if he gives us all the right vibes, we'll do as we did last year and bring him back here for the Royal-Oak,” Le Lay said.

Freddy Head said of Call the Wind, who was given a lot to do by Aurelien Lemaitre, “He was beaten by his draw. Had he been drawn towards the inside, he could either have tracked the leader or travelled with the pace. However, his nine draw dictated that he had to wait. Clearly, the barrier draw which determined a horse's place in the starting stalls was important. He also needed a stiffer pace.” Mark Johnston said of the 11-10 favourite Dee Ex Bee, “We're very disappointed. Granted that he lacks a real turn of foot, he needs to wind the pace up some way from home. He didn't relish the French style of racing.”

The dam Greentathir (Fr) (Muhtathir {GB}) has an unraced 3-year-old colt Sridedgreen (Fr) (Sri Putra {GB}), a 2-year-old colt also by Sri Putra named Srifanelogreen (Fr) and a yearling colt by Penny's Picnic (Ire) named Penclaudjeangreen (Fr). The family includes no bluebloods, just the Listed Prix Georges Trabaud winner Kadgreen (Kadrou {Fr}) and the Listed Derby du Midi scorer Kindgren (King of Macedon {Ire}).

Saturday, ParisLongchamp, France
QATAR PRIX DU CADRAN-G1, €300,000, ParisLongchamp, 10-5, 4yo/up, 20fT, 4:41.83, sf.
1–HOLDTHASIGREEN (FR), 128, g, 7, by Hold That Tiger
     1st Dam: Greentathir (Fr), by Muhtathir (GB)
     2nd Dam: Lady Honorgreen (Fr), by Hero's Honor
     3rd Dam: Homer Green (Ire), by Homeric (GB)
O/B-Jean Gilbert & Claude Le Lay (FR); T-Bruno Audouin; J-Tony Piccone. €171,420. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Fr, 32-14-5-4, €921,545. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Call The Wind (GB), 128, g, 5, Frankel (GB)#tot">Frankel (GB)–In Clover (GB), by Inchinor (GB). O/B-George Strawbridge (GB); T-Freddy Head. €68,580.
3–Dee Ex Bee (GB), 128, c, 4, Farhh (GB)–Dubai Sunrise, by Seeking the Gold. O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum; B-Godolphin (GB); T-Mark Johnston. €34,290.
Margins: 3/4, 3/4, 5HF. Odds: 13.80, 4.00, 1.10.
Also Ran: Who Dares Wins (Ire), Falcon Eight (Ire), Way To Paris (GB), Cleonte (Ire), Mille et Mille (GB), Line des Ongrais (Fr), Funny Kid. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.