Nobody could get a handle on just how good La Cressonniere (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) was prior to her success in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and it is fair to say that Antonio Caro and Gerard Augustin-Normand's unbeaten bay still had her doubters afterwards, but she provided a resounding answer by following up in Sunday's G1 Prix de Diane Longines at Chantilly. Held up towards the rear early by Cristian Demuro, the 14-5 favourite was delivered wide in the straight and gained the lead with a decisive surge passing the 300-metre marker as Armande (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) clipped heels and unseated her rider in behind. Driven out to hold Left Hand (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the final flourish, she had a half length to spare at the line as she provided trainer Jean-Claude Rouget, her owners and sire with the second Pouliches-Diane doubles of their respective careers after the exploits of Avenir Certain (Fr) two years ago. Rouget's record in this prize is now four from the last eight renewals, while La Cressonniere's victory also meant that her trainer has now won three of the four domestic Classics this season. He also becomes the first in history to complete the G1 Prix du Jockey Club and Diane double on two occasions, with the Jockey Club hero Le Havre and Diane heroine Stacelita (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}) in 2009 now followed by Almanzor (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and La Cressonniere. Adding even more significance to the occasion, she was making Almanzor's owners Caro and Augustin-Normand the first of their kind to enjoy glory in this race and the Jockey Club in the same season since Marcel Boussac achieved it with Apollonia (Fr) and Philius (Fr) in 1956. “What a fantastic year we are having–we are very lucky to have so many good 3-year-olds,” commented Rouget just two days after Qemah (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) provided Royal Ascot glory in the G1 Coronation S. “This filly is all-class and also so genuine and the jockey rode her very well, giving her a chance to breathe. She was slightly knocked when making her move in the straight, but recovered well. We'll see how she comes out of this, but I am not thinking about the future. We are more into enjoying the moment.”
Sunday, Chantilly, France
PRIX DE DIANE LONGINES-G1, €1,000,000, CHY, 6-19, 3yo, f, 10 1/2fT, 2:09.45, sf.
1–LA CRESSONNIERE (FR), 126, f, 3, by Le Havre (Ire)
1st Dam: Absolute Lady (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Lil's Jessy (Ire), by Kris (GB)
3rd Dam: Lobmille (GB), by Mill Reef
O-Gerard Augustin-Normand & Ecurie Antonio Caro; B-Franklin Finance SA (FR); T-Jean-Claude Rouget; J-Cristian Demuro. €257,130. Lifetime Record: 7-7-0-0, €937,030. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Left Hand (GB), 126, f, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–Balladeuse (Fr), by Singspiel (Ire). O/B-Wertheimer & Frere (GB); T-Carlos Laffon-Parias. €228,600.
3–Volta (Fr), 126, f, 3, Siyouni (Fr)–Persian Belle (GB), by Machiavellian. O-Ecurie David Salabi, Thierry de la Heronniere & Cluny Conseil SARL; B-Thierry, Amaury & Mme Danille de la Heronniere (FR); T-Francis-Henri Graffard. €114,300.
Margins: HF, 1 1/4, HF. Odds: 2.80, 26.40, 6.00.
Also Ran: Azaelia (Fr), Coolmore (Ire), Ballydoyle (Ire), Zghorta Dance (Fr), Swiss Range (GB), Jemayel (Ire), Gysoave (Fr), Camprock (Fr), Happy Approach (Fr), The Juliet Rose (Fr), *Highlands Queen (Fr). DNF: Tierra Del Fuego (Fr), Armande (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
*Highlands Queen was disqualified from 8th.
Despite the ongoing presence of the likes of His Highness The Aga Khan, Khalid Abdullah, Godolphin and Coolmore, it is the white-and-blue silks of Ant Caro and Gerard-Augustin Normand which have become predominant in the French Classics in recent times, with the Haras de la Cauviniere-based sire Le Havre starting it all with victory in the Jockey-Club in 2009. In his short spell at stud, one of the great success stories of France's breeding system has achieved a remarkable feat in siring two Pouliches-Diane winners for the same connections and La Cressonniere appears every bit as good as Avenir Certain was when similarly unbeaten at this stage of her career.
While her rivals for the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches had flashed their ability on bigger stages, this homebred was allowed to creep along quietly at first in the provinces and then in the smaller-scale black-type events as she prepped for her first Classic examination. Those with a keen eye for talent would nevertheless have appreciated the nature of her performances in the Listed Prix Isonomy over a mile at Deauville in October, the Listed Prix Herod over seven furlongs here the next month and Saint-Cloud's Listed Prix la Camargo back at a mile Mar. 20. Uncomplicated as well as top-class when the occasion arose in that Classic over Deauville's straight mile May 15, she was firmly on top at the line and there was no question on pedigree that she would be able to transmit that power over this distance.
Breaking well but caught wide, she was allowed to bowl along at her leisure by jockey Cristian Demuro early with a trio behind which included Ballydoyle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) who was hampered leaving her already-disadvantageous wide stall. Sent forward on the turn, La Cressonniere had that Irish challenger just behind as she started her finishing effort and quickly put over two lengths between them as she picked up the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac winner's stablemate Coolmore (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) on the lead inside the last quarter mile. Scrimmaging to her right led to Armande losing Pierre-Charles Boudot from the saddle, but she was already away from any trouble and just had to deal with the Wertheimer representative Left Hand to secure the landmark win. “I have to admit, when I woke up this morning I didn't think I was going to win the race simply because you wonder how long can it continue after the last two weeks,” Rouget said. “I have always believed in unbeaten horses and if you look at this race, with the exception of last year, most of the winners have been unbeaten. I was slightly worried where she was in the race, she was a bit far back, but the main thing is that you relax your horse no matter where you are.”
Left Hand's trainer Carlos Laffon-Parias said of the runner-up, “She has run a great race and I am delighted. We always thought she was good and she has really run her race today only to find one too good.” Volta's handler Francis-Henri Graffard was pleased with the effort of the third, who rewarded her supplementary entry and said, “She was a shade unlucky, as she was knocked off her balance a bit in the straight but still finished very nicely and confirmed she is top-class.”
La Cressonniere is the third foal bred from Absolute Lady, whose dam Lil's Jessy captured the G3 Nell Gwyn S. and also produced the listed-winning and group-placed Paris Winds (Ire), also by Galileo. The next dam is Lobmille (GB), who has three stakes winners to her credit and whose own dam Light O'Battle (GB) (Queen's Hussar {GB}) is a full-sister to Highclere (GB). Successful in this as well as the 1000 Guineas in 1974, The Queen's top-class mare went on to produce the legendary Height of Fashion (Fr) (Bustino {GB}), winner of three group races headed by the G2 Princess of Wales's S. but more importantly the dam of the Epsom Derby hero and leading sire Nashwan as well as the further group 1 winners and prolific sires Unfuwain and Nayef. Absolute Lady also has an as-yet unraced 2-year-old filly by Air Chief Marshal (Fr) named Tonneville (Ire) and a yearling full-brother to La Cressonniere ((Fr) named Gratot (Fr).
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