Jean-Claude Rouget

She keeps getting better, and Saturday, George Krikorian's War Like Goddess (English Channel) will get her first chance at a Grade I victory as a likely overwhelming favorite in the 1 3/8-mile GI Flower Bowl S., which will be run at Saratoga for the first time after a 43-year run at Belmont. Bought for just $30,000 at OBS June in 2019, the bay debuted going nine furlongs on the Churchill turf last September at Churchill and rallied from second-last to take over late, and she validated that explosive late rally...

Capping Deauville's August festival on Sunday, Haras de Saint Pair's Glycon (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) justified 9-10 favouritism to prove a popular winner of the feature G2 Lucien Barriere Grand Prix de Deauville. Asked to go beyond a mile and a quarter for the first time when taking the G3 Prix de Reux over this track and 12 1/2-furlong trip on his latest outing Aug. 8, the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained homebred was patiently ridden in rear early by Cristian Demuro. Launched to take command 300 metres from the finish, the 9-10...

Shadwell group winners Raabihah (Sea The Stars {Ire}) and Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) are targetting the Oct. 3 G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and Sept. 5 G1 Prix du Moulin, respectively, Shadwell Racing Manager Angus Gold revealed on Monday. A 4-year-old filly, Raabihah was fifth in the 2020 Arc after taking the G3 Prix de Psyche last August and running second in the Sept. 13 G1 Qatar Prix Vermeille. Prior to her victory in Sunday's G2 Prix de Pomone, the chestnut was second thrice as the...

Shadwell's 4-year-old distaffer Raabihah (Sea the Stars {Ire}), unsuccessful in five outings since annexing last term's G3 Prix de Psyche at Deauville, rebounded off three second-place efforts this year and produced a telling burst at the end of Sunday's G2 Darley Prix de Pomone to register an impressive score upon her return to the Normandy venue. The contest was delayed by an excessive hold in the gates while a replacement battery was installed a failed break and the homebred chestnut was positioned in a stalking fourth for the most part....

Following on from a flurry of Rising Star awards in Ireland and Stateside overnight, Al Shaqab Racing's 2-year-old colt Good Too (Fr) (Ectot {GB}) joined the esteemed ranks with an impressive performance in Sunday's Prix de Montaigu at Deauville. Steadied off the pace in fifth after a sharp getaway in this one-mile newcomers' test, the 17-10 favourite made eyecatching headway on the bridle in the straight to challenge out wide with 300 metres remaining and displayed an impressive turn of foot once taking control at the furlong marker to easily...

Carrying Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani's second strip for Tuesday's Prix Le Cyrano at Deauville, 2-year-old filly Osmose (Fr) (Zoffany {Ire}) was very much the lead violin coming home and powered to 'TDN Rising Stardom' with a taking performance in the 6 1/2-furlong debutantes' heat. The well-backed 2-1 favourite was sharply into stride and stalked the pace in third through halfway. Looming large full of run passing the quarter-mile marker, she seized control with 300 metres remaining and powered clear in hand inside the final furlong to easily outpoint...

Entering Sunday's G1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Pouliches with plenty of black-type experience but without a win in that sphere, Abdullah bin Fahad Al Attiyah's Coeursamba (Fr) (The Wow Signal {Ire}) was just saving her best for the big time as Cristian Demuro launched her to overhaul Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) in a thriller. Prepping for this ParisLongchamp Classic with a third placing in a course-and-distance conditions event Apr. 22, the bay whose best 2-year-old form had involved third placings in the G3 Prix Six Perfections at Deauville in...

His Highness The Aga Khan's Makaloun (Fr) (Bated Breath {GB}) suffered the only reverse of a five-race freshman campaign when a close third over 10 furlongs in a hot renewal of October's G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud and bounced back in style to garner Tuesday's G3 Prix de Guiche, dropping down in trip on seasonal return, at Chantilly. Last term's Listed Criterium du Fonds Europeen de l'Elevage and G3 Prix de Conde victor went postward as the 23-10 second choice--for a heat won by Lawman (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and Almanzor...

Inter Royal Lady (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), champion of her generation in Poland in 2019 and 2020, will continue her career in France under the care of Arc-winning conditioner Jean-Claude Rouget, according to information on the France Galop website. The daughter of Fearn Royal (Ire) (Ali-Royal {Ire}) was perfect and untested in six juvenile appearances and ran her overall winning streak to nine before tasting defeat for the first time when beaten a half-length by Night Thunder (Ire) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in the Westminster Derby (2400 metres) at Sluzewiec Racecourse...

2020 G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}-Starlet's Sister {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) has been retired and will take up stallion duties at Coolmore Stud in Ireland, owner Peter Brant announced on Tuesday. A colourbearer for Brant's White Birch Farm initially with Coolmore buying a 50% interest earlier this year, the 2019 French highweight's fee will be announced later. "A world champion at three and now an Arc winner at four, I have decided to retire Sottsass after what he has achieved," said Brant. "He...

It was a home success in Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe as Peter Brant's Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) realised his owner's longtime dream when providing him and Jean-Claude Rouget with a first renewal of the showpiece as Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) failed to fire in sixth. Third in 2019, last year's G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero--who holds the record time in that Classic since the race was shortened to 10 1/2 furlongs in 2005--had stayed slightly under the radar as he was geared towards his second...

White Birch Farm's MG1SW Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) and Shadwell's GSW Raabihah (Sea The Stars {Ire}) worked in tandem at Deauville in advance of the Oct. 4 G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Tuesday. If either delivers in the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp, it would be a first for trainer Jean-Claude Rouget. The 2019 G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero took the G1 Prix Ganay second up this term and was runner-up in the G3 Prix Gontaut-Biron at Deauville in August. Only fourth...