By Tom Frary
Coolmore did not have long to wait for their first-crop sire Blackbeard to get off the mark as Timur provided the landmark in Lyon-Parilly's 4 1/2-furlong card opener on Sunday.
Sent off at 9-1 for the Prix du Premier Pas, the Mathieu Pitart-trained son of Ninetta (New Approach) who hails from the family of Peintre Celebre showed early dash to stalk the tempo under Emilien Puillet-Roda.
In front a furlong from home, the €20,000 Arqana October purchase asserted to beat Ballylinch Stud's filly Belisa Bay, a daughter of the fellow first-crop sire Bayside Boy, by 1 1/4 lengths.
“He was very green, but has a bit of quality and natural acceleration,” his jockey said.
“He is a colt who is cut out for this,” his trainer said. “He has natural pace and can get into gear very quickly. He did the job, but is far from being 100 per cent and so has a bit of margin for improvement. I got him from Christophe Escuder about two weeks ago, so I don't know him very well yet but what he's shown me in the mornings is pretty good.”
🇫🇷Prix Du Premier Pas
Lyon Parilly – Inédits – 2 ans – 900m – 9 Pts – 21 000 €🏆Timur (m2) 🏇Emilien Puillet-Roda @EmilienRoda
📖(Blackbeard (Ire) @coolmorestud – Ninetta (Ire) par New Approach (Ire))🕶️Mathieu Pitart
🎩Ecuries Metal
🐎Haras De Saint… pic.twitter.com/NaHYTqOrR8— French and International Horse Racing (@Vincenzo0612) March 29, 2026
The dam is a daughter of Nureyev's Pine Chip, who holds the distinction of being a full-sister to the brilliant champion Peintre Celebre. A half to the G2 Grand Prix de Deauville and G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly-placed Pouvoir Absolu (Sadler's Wells), she is related to the multiple South African Group 1-winning champion Jet Dark (Trippi).
1st-Lyon-Parilly, €21,000, Debutantes, 3-29, 2yo, 4 1/2fT, 48.65, sf.
TIMUR (FR) (c, 2, Blackbeard {Ire}–Ninetta {Ire}, by New Approach {Ire}) Sales history: €20,000 Ylg '25 ARQOCT. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, €10,500. O-Ecuries Metal, Ecuries Jacques Piasco & Ecuries Puglia; B-Haras de Saint Julien; T-Mathieu Pitart.
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