Aurelien Lemaitre

There were no complications other than a slightly tardy break for Yeguada Centurion SL's Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}--Queen Blossom {Ire}, by Jeremy) in Sunday's G1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Pouliches as the admirably straightforward as well as high-class 3-5 favourite ruled the roost once again at ParisLongchamp. Needing stoking up at the start by Aurelien Lemaitre to race in the box seat behind the leader Sauterne (Fr) (Kingman {GB}), the homebred who had mastered the course-and-distance G1 Prix Marcel Boussac and G3 Prix de la Grotte attacked that...

If there was any doubt who was the Cock Of The North among the French 3-year-old middle-distance colts heading into Tuesday's G3 Prix de Guiche, Yeguada Centurion's Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}--Hardiyna {Ire}, by Sea The Stars {Ire}) provided the emphatic answer with a dominant display at a rain-soaked Chantilly. Compared to Frankel (GB) by the commentary team of Racing Galop afterwards, the homebred first foal out of the owner-breeder's €72,000 Goffs November purchase from The Aga Khan's draft was more Old Vic (GB) as he sliced through...

Returning to the same ParisLongchamp course and mile distance over which she had dominated the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc day, Yeguada Centurion SL's Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}--Queen Blossom {Ire}, by Jeremy) continued where she left off with an all-the-way success in the G3 Prix de la Grotte on Sunday. Sporting a red hood for the preliminaries, the even-money favourite was sent straight to the front by Aurelien Lemaitre and was asked to extend two out. Responding generously without the need for the whip, the bay had...

France Galop has boosted a series of 21 premium races for unraced 2-year-olds with increased prizemoney and the first such event, Tuesday's €50,000 Prix du Premier Pas at Chantilly, was bolstered by a 'TDN Rising Star' performance from Christopher Head incumbent Ramatuelle (Justify--Raven's Lady {GB}, by Raven's Pass), a €100,000 Arqana August purchase, who debuted with a stunning display in the straight five-furlong test. Ramatuelle, sporting the Infinity Nine Horses silks, broke well from an outer stall and raced prominently throughout. Looming large on the bridle approaching the final furlong,...

Yeguada Centurion's 3-year-old colt Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}--Hardiyna {Ire}, by Sea The Stars {Ire}), who failed to nose ahead in each of his first three outings, graduated in a Feb. 2 handicap at Chantilly and repeated the dose back there in last month's Mar. 3 Listed Prix Maurice Caillault. Sent forward for a sterner test in Sunday's G3 Prix La Force at ParisLongchamp, he dented a host of lofty reputations with a game performance in the nine-furlong French Derby trial to register a career high. Big Rock...

After the success for Nurlan Bizakov in the Lagardere, it was the turn of another rising force in French breeding Yeguada Centurion to enjoy the limelight as Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) lit up ParisLongchamp in the G1 Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac, a "Win and You're In" for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Keeneland in November. Coming off a course-and-distance win in the G3 Prix d'Aumale Sept. 8, the Christopher Head trainee had the perfect tow in third as Aurelien Lemaitre contained her enthusiasm. Let loose...

Yeguada Centurion's homebred 2-year-old filly Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}--Queen Blossom {Ire}, by Jeremy), who followed up wins at Saint-Cloud in June and at Clairefontaine in July with a runner-up finish in Deauville's Aug. 20 Listed Criterium du Fonds Europeen de l'Elevage in her latest start, made her experience tell in Thursday's G3 Prix d'Aumale at ParisLongchamp and surged to a career high in the one-mile fillies' test. The 13-5 second favourite was steadied to track the leaders in third after an alert getaway. Coming under pressure to reduce...

Sunday's mouthwatering feast of pattern-race action got going with ParisLongchamp's G3 Prix La Rochette and there was a surprise in store as last month's Deauville maiden winner Tigrais (Fr) (Outstrip {GB}--Maharana {Fr}, by Iffraaj {GB} swooped late to deny 'TDN Rising Star' Breizh Sky (Fr) (Pedro The Great) for a career high in the seven-furlong contest for juveniles. She had opened up with a July 17 debut seventh, behind the 'TDN Rising Star' display of Alia's Rose (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), over seven furlongs at Chantilly and had changed...

Ecurie Griezmann's battle-hardened 3-year-old filly Txope (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}--Power of the Moon {Ire}, by Acclamation {GB}) had made seven consecutive starts in stakes company leading into Sunday's G2 Wempe 102nd German 1000 Guineas at Dusseldorf and emerged with a career high to add to a victory in last term's Listed Winterkonigin Trial at Cologne. The €310,000 Arqana September yearling went postward for this second start in Germany coming back off a fifth in Deauville's Apr. 7 G3 Prix Imprudence and a runner-up finish in ParisLongchamp's May 1 Listed Prix du...

Galileo (Ire) had been omnipresent throughout the week and his influence even extended less directly to Saint-Cloud on Sunday when Sibila Spain (Ire) registered a pattern-race double for Frankel (GB). Following on from the impressive G2 Prix Greffulhe success of Onesto (Ire) earlier on the card, Yeguada Centurion SLU's daughter of the G1 Irish Oaks runner-up L'Ancresse (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}) took advantage of a change of plan to prevail in the G2 Prix du Muguet. Abandoning the front-running tactics that had been employed of late, Aurelien Lemaitre anchored the TDN...

Philippe Decouz trainee Go Athletico (Fr) (Goken {Fr}) posted a second over seven furlongs in ParisLongchamp's July 14 Listed Prix Roland de Chambure on stakes bow last time and returned to the same Bois de Boulogne strip to cause a 17-2 surprise in Sunday's G3 Prix La Rochette. Positioned under some cover behind the leaders in third, he was shaken into action with 350 metres remaining and quickened smartly in the closing stages to edge Roland de Chambure third Sealiway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) by a length for a career high...