Tag Archive for: Deauville

The Lion In Winter heading back to France for Prix Jacques le Marois

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The Lion In Winter will return to France for his next outing when he will step back up in trip for the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville.

Winter favourite for the Guineas and Derby, a setback in the spring held up his preparations for the Classics and he missed Newmarket, making his comeback in the Dante at York when he could only finish sixth before trailing home well beaten in the Derby.

Dropped markedly in trip to seven furlongs for the Prix Jean Prat, Aidan O’Brien’s charge showed plenty of his old sparkle, beaten just a short neck and a short head into third by Woodshauna.

Speaking at Navan on Sunday, stable representative Chris Armstrong said: “It was lovely to get him back on track after all the promise he showed last year.

“He has come out of the race (at Deauville) very well, and everyone is happy with him at home.

“He is going to go to the Jacques le Marois next in Deauville. Obviously, it is going to be a fascinating race during the summer.

“In fairness, the horse adapted coming right back from a mile and a half to seven (furlongs) last week pretty quickly.

“Back up to a mile in the Jacques le Marois should suit him.”

Bright Thunder oozes class in Deauville romp

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Bright Thunder enjoyed visiting France once again, as she blazed her way to victory in the Prix Goldikova.

Karl Burke’s four-year-old was a Listed winner at Chantilly last summer and after going close on home soil at Goodwood and Epsom earlier this season, gained some valuable compensation on the continent.

It was a victory that was a welcome tonic for the Spigot Lodge team after near misses both earlier on the Deauville card with Spycatcher and in the German Derby with Contingent and there could plenty more to look forward to with the daughter of Night Of Thunder after her commanding performance in the hands of Sam James.

James told Sky Sports Racing: “She jumped really well, if not too well and I wanted to get a bit of cover.

“However, once I got behind Christophe (Soumillon on  Rubies From Burma) on the lead horse she settled away grand and I thought we were going quite slow so I was quite happy to let her find herself and keep coming.

“She doesn’t find an awful lot off the bridle but to be fair to her today she’s really quickened up and put the race to bed.

“A Group Three wouldn’t be out of the question for her and the faster they go in these races the more it suits her. She seems to like coming over here so maybe she can come over again.

“You can sometimes get racing a long way out on a straight mile, but today it all went to plan and she obviously likes coming over and Karl does as well when he brings horses over here.”

Soumillon shines as Woodshauna strikes in Prix Jean Prat

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Francis-Henri Graffard’s fine season continued at Deauville, as Woodshauna claimed a thrilling Prix Jean Prat.

A winner at Group Three level at Chantilly on his most recent start, the colt was subsequently purchased by American businessman John Stewart for £625,000 at the Goffs London Sale on the eve of Royal Ascot and immediately saw the form boosted when Chantilly runner-up Time For Sandals won the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.

Christopher Head’s Maranoa Charlie, who was fourth at Chantilly, led the field along this time in his first outing in the colours of Yorkshire-based Bond Thoroughbreds, with Christophe Soumillon in no rush as he anchored Woodshauna in rear.

Maranoa Charlie refused to lie down as the race began to develop, with Charlie Appleby’s Shadow Of Light and Aidan O’Brien’s The Lion In Winter making their challenge on either side.

However, none were finishing as strongly as Woodshauna, who weaved his way to the front in time to lead home a French one-two, with Maranoa Charlie holding on for second, The Lion In Winter third and Shadow Of Light fourth, with half a length covering all of them. Cosmic Year dropped away tamely having looked a threat a furlong out.

Graffard said: “He’s a lovely horse and his form his strong. We decided to skip Ascot and I wanted the horse to be strong for this race and it worked out.

“He has a lot of speed and I think seven furlongs is the max for him. We’ll have to see what we do with him, whether we drop him back in distance or if we stick to seven, but it’s a big step up today. He’s a lovely horse with a great attitude and he’s improving physically.

“He was given a very good ride by Christophe and took the right lead all the time.”

He added: “Every time I have stepped him up in class he has responded well. I think if he was closer in the Djebel he would have been very dangerous and on that form and my belief I was not scared today.

“I’m so happy for John (Stewart) who is such a lovely, enthusiastic man for the industry and he has kept faith in me and let me do what I think is best for the horses and is rewarded today with a nice win.

“The Prix Maurice de Gheest could definitely be on the cards and I think he will be better dropped back in distance. I will see how he comes out of this but that could be a race we target.”

Meanwhile, the Bond Thoroughbreds team are relishing seeing Maranoa Charlie run on home soil at York after their recent purchase just failed to make all in the Group One feature.

Christopher Head won the Prix Djebel with Maranoa Charlie
Christopher Head trains Maranoa Charlie (Andrew Matthews/PA)

“It’s a great run to be second in a Group One, amazing. It was obviously a big purchase and it looks like we made the right choice,” Charlie Bond of Bond Thoroughbreds told Sky Sports Racing.

“It’s our first horse in France and the last time we were here Move In Time won the Prix de l’Abbaye (in 2014), so we like coming to France.

“Christopher trains him and we’ll follow his guidance. I think he comes home to York for the City of York Stakes and we always said that this was a good stepping stone to that race, but if Christopher decides something else, we will follow his guidance, it’s down to him, we don’t like to interfere.”

O’Brien was delighted to see The Lion In Winter bounce back to form.

He said: “The horse ran very well, we’re very happy. The Lion In Winter has a lot of speed. Now, we have two options, the Sussex Stakes or here in Deauville for the mile (Jaques le Marois).

Cosmic Year expected to shine in Prix Jean Prat outing

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After skipping Royal Ascot, it is time for Cosmic Year to step into the spotlight, as Harry Charlton’s star performer aims to sparkle in Deauville’s Prix Jean Prat.

Part of an outstanding group of three-year-olds assembled by leading owners Juddmonte, he was last seen chasing home Field of Gold in the Irish 2,000 Guineas and now reverts to seven furlongs seeking his own top-level success.

Charlton said: “He’s in good form, we gave him a little break after Ireland as we knew we weren’t going to Royal Ascot due to Juddmonte’s team of other horses, so we’ve kind of been targeting this race since the Curragh and he’s been moving great. He seems in good nick and we’re very happy with him.

Cosmic Year winning at Newmarket earlier this year
Cosmic Year winning at Newmarket earlier this year (David Davies/PA)

“I hope he’s still got lots more to come, we’re still learning about him as he’s obviously come into this year very inexperienced.

“I’d be happy to run a mile again but seven furlongs is perfect for him, he’s done most of his racing at seven and he’s a quick horse. He has the speed for seven furlongs but I do think he gets the mile.”

Charlton saw Juddmonte hotpot Kikkuli turned over in this Group One event 12 months ago but is taking plenty of encouragement from Curragh conqueror Field Of Gold’s dazzling display in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, which gives a timely polish to Cosmic Year’s fine run in Ireland.

He added: “Ireland was a slightly odd race for us as we probably got a little further back than we wanted and then it was kind of done and dusted and Field Of Gold is a very good horse who put the race to bed before we got going really.

“It’s exciting if he can improve from that and it should give him a great chance of figuring on Sunday.”

Shadow Of Light has a great record
Shadow Of Light has a great record (Mike Egerton for The Jockey Club/PA)

While Cosmic Year was seen just the once as a two-year-old, Charlie Appleby’s Shadow Of Light was busy making a name for himself by winning both the Middle Park and Dewhurst Stakes in the autumn.

Upped to a mile for his return, he was beaten a length by stablemate Ruling Court when third in the 2000 Guineas and having since finished fifth in the Commonwealth Cup over six furlongs at Royal Ascot, he splits the difference by returning to his Dewhurst-winning distance.

Appleby told www.godolphin.com: “The drop back in trip and quick ground caught out Shadow Of Light in the Commonwealth Cup, but he came out of the race in great nick.

“Stepping back up to seven furlongs is a positive, and hopefully the ground at Deauville will be a bit more forgiving. We will be on weather watch and a decision will be made on the day after we have had a look at the ground.

“I can’t fault his preparation going into this and feel he is the horse to beat if he can run up to anywhere near the form of his Guineas third.”

The Lion In Winter represents Aidan O'Brien
The Lion In Winter represents Aidan O’Brien (Mike Egerton/PA)

Further British and Irish interest is provided by Aidan O’Brien’s one-time Derby hope The Lion In Winter, who drops back in trip significantly after disappointing in the premier Classic at Epsom.

Meanwhile, Christopher Head’s Maranoa Charlie will run in the colours of Bond Thoroughbreds after the Yorkshire operation purchased the son of Wootton Bassett following his recent Prix Paul de Moussac win at Saint-Cloud.

Christophe Ferland’s Silius has finished second to Maranoa Charlie the last twice, with Francis-Henri Graffard’s Woodshauna also a live hope for the home team having accounted for Harry Eustace’s Royal Ascot heroine Time For Sandals in the Prix Texanita.

Bond backing Maranoa Charlie to go the distance at Deauville

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It promises to be a big afternoon for all connected with Bond Thoroughbreds on Sunday, as the exciting Maranoa Charlie makes the first start for the Yorkshire-based operation in the Prix Jean Prat.

Monsieur Bond and Ladies Are Forever both famously flourished in the black and yellow spots of the late Reg Bond, who enjoyed Group One success in France as part-owner of 2014 Prix de l’Abbaye winner Move In Time.

Now with son Charlie now at the helm, the Bond Thoroughbreds operation has a growing broodmare band at Yapham Mill Stud near Pocklington and have added a touch of quality to the ranks by swooping for Christopher Head’s crack French-trained three-year-old Maranoa Charlie, who is blessed with both a glowing pedigree and impressive on-track CV.

Monsieur Bond is one of the most famous names to represent the Yorkshire-based team
Monsieur Bond is one of the most famous names to represent the Yorkshire-based team (John Giles/PA)

“The reason we bought him was his form, but to have a colt with the speed in the pedigree from Tiggy Wiggy and by Wootton Bassett was so exciting to add to the ranks with what Bond Thoroughbreds is trying to achieve in racing,” said Charlie Bond.

“Wootton Bassett is flying at the minute and he looks to have great stallion potential for a long way down the line. We have a big broodmare band now, so we do need to be looking towards the future as well.

“We saw his last win and the time of the race compared to the other racing that day and he won a bit cosily carrying a penalty. The previous owners were fantastic to deal with and will be joining us on Sunday at Deauville.”

Maranoa Charlie was subject to plenty of hype as a two-year-old when effortlessly winning his first three starts before seeing his momentum checked when upped to Group One level at Saint-Cloud in the final outing of his juvenile campaign.

However, he has left that minor blip in the past since returning this season, winning two Group Three contests to tee-up a return to the highest level at Deauville – which in turn could lead to a raiding mission to York for the upgraded Sky Bet City of York Stakes on August 23.

“The main race for him will probably be the City of York which Christopher identified and it is our home track, which I think will really suit him,” added Bond.

“Obviously we will see how he gets on stepping back into to Group One company on Sunday, Christopher is looking forward to running him and we’ll get to see what level he is at.

Cosmic Year is a possible opponent of Maranoa Charlie
Cosmic Year is a possible opponent of Maranoa Charlie (David Davies/PA)

“It’s the best of the best in the Jean Prat and we’re straight in there in a really hot race.

“But his stature, when you look at the videos we’ve been sent of him, has been impressive and we’re really looking forward to seeing him in person.

“I’m also really looking forward to seeing him as a four-year-old. He’s a great looking horse now, but the potential improvement at four looks to be there.”

Maranoa Charlie is one of eight standing their ground for the Deauville feature, with Harry Charlton’s Irish 2,000 Guineas runner-up Cosmic Year and Charlie Appleby’s dual Group One-winning two-year-old Shadow Of Light providing further British interest.