Deauville is back with a vengeance on Sunday, when the G1 Prix Rothschild presents another fascinating stand-off between the generations. France, Britain and Ireland are all represented by some choice 3-year-olds, with the home nation boasting the G1 Coronation S. heroine Qemah (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), who is met once more by Alice Springs (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). Jean-Claude Rouget has carried all before him so far this season and the former sports the Al Shaqab Racing silks, whose racing manager Harry Herbert said, “She ran a great race at Ascot and is all set to go for Sunday. She has been working well and is in good shape so she enters the race in great form. Hopefully, it is all systems go for another big run.”
Third and unlucky in that June 17 contest, Alice Springs has since gone on to an impressive success in the G1 Falmouth S. at Newmarket July 8. Qemah was previously third when Alice Springs was seventh in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouiches over this course and distance May 15, but the latter is an entirely different proposition at this point of the season.
Lumiere (GB) (Shamardal), who was so disappointing when last of 16 in the May 1 G1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, bounced back in style when scoring by six lengths in the Listed Sir Henry Cecil S. over this trip at Newmarket July 7, and proved she was more than just a sprinter there. Last year's G1 Cheveley Park S. heroine is reported in top condition by trainer Mark Johnston 's son and assistant Charlie Johnston. “It was fantastic to see her win at Newmarket. It was the highlight of the year so far,” he said. “That said, we are under no illusions that this is a completely different kettle of fish. It is a tough Group 1 with the likes of Alice Springs and Qemah in there, but she is already a Group 1 winner herself. She put her weight back on pretty much straight away and we have not really done much since Newmarket. She has just been ticking over since then and we are happy with her at home.”
Adding another dimension to the challenge of the Classic brigade is Ecurie Salabi's Volta (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), who came into the G1 Prix de Diane on the back of wins in Chantilly's Listed Prix Volterra May 9 and G2 Prix de Sandringham June 5. Third in that 10 1/2-furlong Classic at Chantilly a fortnight after her latest triumph, she is a class act who will more than hold her own here and is probably best at this trip. The 2014 Rothschild winner, who added last year's G1 Prix Jacques le Marois to her tally, Esoterique (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) needs to regain that form and also that of her subsequent success in the G1 Sun Chariot S. at Newmarket in October. Last of 13 in the G1 Queen Anne S. at Royal Ascot June 14, she is back over a course and distance at which she truly excels and trainer Andre Fabre is keeping the faith.
“She is training well and looks great,” he said. “We have put the bad race at Ascot down to the soft ground, as she has shown no signs of discomfort since. She had a long break this winter as she has had a few health problems, but I'm delighted with her and her morning work suggests she is back. We are hoping for a strong pace as her best strength is her turn of foot.”
It would not be a Prix Rothschild without a Wertheimer representative, and that honour falls to the Carlos Laffon-Parias-trained Impassable (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). Last year's G2 Prix de Sandringham and G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein winner was a respectable second in the G3 Prix Bertrand du Breuil over this trip at Chantilly June 19 on her comeback, and may have more to offer than the increasingly disappointing 2015 winner of this race, Amazing Maria (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}). The latter's trainer David O'Meara is waiting for her to exit the doldrums.
“She disappointed a little bit [when seventh] in the Falmouth S. after her run at Ascot. She seems to be in good order so hopefully she will run a good race, although the 3-year-olds look a pretty decent bunch,” he commented. “I would have thought her Queen Anne S. run [when sixth] against the colts was nearly as good as her win there last year, so really her only disappointment has been in the Falmouth. She had a hard race at Ascot on soft ground and that maybe took a bit out of her.”
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