Chantilly

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,...

Prime Equestrian's €150,000 Arqana August graduate Secretive (Fr) (Justify--Media Mischief, by Into Mischief) backed up a debut success at Deauville last November with a comfortable three-length tally on sophomore return in Monday's Prix du Chateau over one mile at Chantilly. The daughter of $550,000 Keeneland November mare Media Mischief (Into Mischief) is entered in both May 14 G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and June 18 G1 Prix de Diane, with trainer Yann Barberot stating the former is on the agenda after taking in one more run next month. 2nd-Chantilly, €28,000,...

Coolmore and Westerberg's dual Group 1-placed 4-year-old colt Ancient Rome (War Front--Gagnoa {Ire}, by Sadler's Wells) returns off a ninth in June's G1 Prix du Jockey Club when last seen and registers a stylish comeback win at Chantilly in his first start for over nine months. 6th-Chantilly, €18,000, Cond, 3-7, 4yo, 9f (AWT), 1:50.78, st. ANCIENT ROME (c, 4, War Front--Gagnoa {Ire} {MGSW & MG1SP-Fr, G1SP-Ire, $597,492}, by Sadler's Wells) snagged the G3 Prix des Chenes and placed in the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and G1 Criterium International as a...

Andre Fabre's team has hit the ground running as winter slowly transitions to spring and the veteran maestro unleashed G1 Prix de Diane entry Algolia (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}--Viva Rafaela {Brz}, by Know Heights {Ire}) to claim 'TDN Rising Stardom' with a scintillating performance in Tuesday's Prix du Soissonnais over one mile at Chantilly. Her victory was the middle leg of a Fabre hat-trick on the card, the trainer also successful with the dual Group 1-placed Ancient Rome (War Front) coming back off a nine-month break and capping a...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Tuesday's Observations feature a trio of Andre Fabre trainees, including a welcome return for Coolmore and Westerberg's dual Group 1-placed Ancient Rome. 14.25 Chantilly, Mdn, €27,000, unraced 3yo, c/g, 8f (AWT) Godolphin's SWING VOTE (GB) (Shamardal) is an Andre Fabre-trained son of G1 Oaks heroine Qualify (Ire) (Fastnet Rock...

4th-Chantilly, $29,000, Debutantes, 2-6, 3yo, c/g, 8f (AWT), 1:39.82, ft. MR MOLIERE (GB) (g, 3, Kingman {GB}--Armande {Ire} {GSW & G1SP-Fr, $222,116}, by Sea The Stars {Ire}). O-Baron Edouard de Rothschild & Lady O'Reilly; B-SC Ecurie de Meautry & Petra Bloodstock Agency Ltd (GB); T-Andre Fabre; J-M. Guyon. Horseracing is a game of old. Appropriately, there is so much from the 17th and 18th centuries in the pedigree of Chantilly demolition winner Mr Moliere (GB). "Monsieur Moliere" for the French race commentator, evidemment. Moliere was the stage name of Jean-Baptiste...

Thursday's card at Chantilly witnessed Europe's first TDN Rising Star of 2023 as Ballymore Thoroughbred Ltd's Pensee Du Jour (Ire) (Camelot {GB}--Painter's Pride {Fr}, by Dansili {GB}) powered to an impressive success in the 9 1/2-furlong Prix du Chateau de la Reine Blanche for unraced 3-year-old fillies. Away smartly under Alexis Pouchin, the 1-2 favourite who is a half-sister to the G3 Mahab Al Shimaal winner and G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen third Canvassed (Ire) (Shamardal) and who hails from the Wildenstein dynasty of the champion Peintre Celebre was in front...

Three wildcards and 10 supplements have been added to the Arqana February Mixed Sale, which already includes 356 lots. Leading the wild cards will be Leibovitz (Ire) (lot 50) offered by Christophe Ferland. A winner over 1200 metrers at Chantilly on debut, the 3-year-old daughter of Starspangledbanner (Aus) hails from the family of Group 1 winners Park Appeal (Ire) (Ahonoora {GB}), Cape Cross (GB), and Diktat (GB), etc. A pair of broodmares are also wildcards with Rouen Cathedral (GB) (lot 140), who is a daughter of Le Havre (Ire) out...

Jockey Christophe Soumillon rode his first winner since returning from his 60-day suspension with his very first mount in France. He was aboard Black Milord Tavel (Fr) (Saddex {GB}) on Saturday, who won a two-mile Chantilly handicap by a head for trainer Eric Lecoiffier. The Belgian earned his suspension for elbowing fellow jockey Rossa Ryan out of the saddle in a race at Saint-Cloud on Sept. 30. Soumillon, who lost his retainer with His Highness The Aga Khan for the elbowing incident, had traveled to South Africa last weekend and...

15.00 Chantilly, Mdn, €27,000, 2yo, f, 7 1/2f (AWT) Juddmonte's 800,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 acquisition OTTERY (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), an Andre Fabre trainee, is out of G2 Diana-Trial victrix and G1 Preis der Diana (German Oaks) third Longina (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}). Her 10 rivals include Haras de Saint Pair's once-raced homebred Gypsy Gold (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), who is a Jean-Claude Rouget-conditioned daughter of G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and G1 Prix de Diane placegetter Glorious Sight (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) and thus kin to last term's MGSW G1 Prix Royal-Oak...

It was tight at the end of Sunday's G3 Prix Miesque at Chantilly, but R.T. Racing Stable's Moon Ray (Fr) (Saxon Warrior {Jpn}--Demeanour, by Giant's Causeway) had her nose in front where it mattered to provide her owners with a landmark pattern success in Europe. Having split Eternal Dance (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Lady Mia (Fr) (Outstrip {GB}) when second in the Listed Prix Saraca over this seven-furlong trip and track Oct. 8, the Nicolas Clement-trained chestnut was able to turn that form around with Stephane Pasquier judging the pace...

Nurlan Bizakov's 250,000gns Tattersalls October Book 2 yearling Charyn (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}--Futoon {Ire}, by Kodiac {GB}) ran third to Roger Varian-trained stablemate Sakheer (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) in last month's G2 Mill Reef S. and continued his progression with a career high in Saturday's G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte at Chantilly. He had earlier followed up an Aug. 7 debut triumph at Haydock with a narrow defeat at Newmarket in his penultimate start later that month. The eventual winner was sent forward from an early fifth to track the leaders in...