Tag Archive for: Prix du Cadran

James Doyle in line to partner Cadran contender Trueshan

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James Doyle will be reunited with Trueshan in Saturday’s Prix du Cadran, with regular rider Hollie Doyle required at Newmarket for Nashwa.

Alan King’s eight-year-old is bidding for a third victory in the two-and-a-half-mile Group One and was partnered by James Doyle for the first of those in 2021 when Hollie Doyle was suspended.

Trueshan is arguably the horse with which Hollie Doyle made her name having won 11 times on him, including this race last year, the Goodwood Cup and three Long Distance Cups at Ascot on Champions Day.

However, due to being the retained rider for Nashwa’s owner Imad Alsagar, she will be in action in the Sun Chariot Stakes rather than at ParisLongchamp.

King said: “Trueshan is very well, he was scoped today and he works tomorrow, provided it all goes well he is on target for the Cadran again.

“We just need to tick a few boxes before saying it is definite.

“James Doyle will ride, we’ve had him on standby for some time as we had an idea Hollie might not be available.

“He’s won on him before so it was logical when we were looking at it.”

Kyprios returns to the ParisLongchamp winner's enclosure
Kyprios returns to the ParisLongchamp winner’s enclosure (PA)

Kyprios is also among the eight remaining entries, with just one contender trained in France.

Aidan O’Brien’s star stayer won the contest in remarkable circumstances in 2022 when, despite hanging across the track in the home straight, he came home 20 lengths clear.

After injury restricted him to just two outings last season, Kyprios has won each of his run races this year. O’Brien has also left in Continuous, who has the option of running in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, and Point Lonsdale.

John and Thady Gosden’s Sweet William finally bagged a big prize at Doncaster last time out and could run, with Sir Mark Prescott’s Miss Cynthia and Andrew Balding’s Coltrane also in contention.

The only home-trained potential runner is Christophe Ferland’s Double Major.

William Haggas is searching for a third successive win in the Prix de Royallieu with Sea Theme.

Sea Silk Road after winning at ParisLongchamp
Sea Silk Road after winning at ParisLongchamp (Ashley Iveson/PA)

Sea La Rosa and Sea Silk Road have provided Haggas with Group One victories in a race that has not been won by a French-trained runner since 2017.

Henry de Bromhead’s Term Of Endearment, David Menuisier’s Caius Chorister and O’Brien’s Port Fairy are among 16 left in.

There are 11 left in the Prix Dollar, including Brian Meehan’s Jayarbee, the Owen Burrows-trained Anmaat and Ed Walker’s Almaqam.

Haggas’ Maljoom and Karl Burke’s Holloway Boy are among 13 in the Prix Daniel Wildenstein, while St Leger runner-up Illinois is one of 11 in the Prix Chaudenay.

There are supplementary entry stages for all races on Wednesday.



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Cadran a possible target for Courage Mon Ami

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Connections of Courage Mon Ami are tentatively working back from the Prix du Cadran, as last year’s Gold Cup hero continues his recovery from a setback.

Trained by John and Thady Gosden, the five-year-old gave his owners Wathnan Racing a dream start to their ownership venture by claiming the Royal Ascot staying feature in 2023 and will always hold a special place in the affections of the team for that reason.

Last seen finishing a valiant second to Coltrane in last year’s Lonsdale Cup, the son of Frankel was being prepared for the defence of his Gold Cup crown when suffering a setback.

Frankie Dettori celebrates aboard Courage Mon Ami after winning the Gold Cup
Frankie Dettori celebrates aboard Courage Mon Ami after winning the Gold Cup (John Walton/PA)

He will miss the height of summer and with his team eager not to rush their star stayer back to the track, a trip to ParisLongchamp  in early October has been highlighted as an objective for the rest of the current campaign.

“He obviously had a setback so we gave him some time off. He’s back trotting now and back being ridden,” explained Wathnan’s racing adviser Richard Brown.

“We’ll gradually build him up and he will tell us when he’s ready to run, but we’re sort of working back from the Cadran.

“We’re thinking Cadran and maybe a prep race before and we will see how he goes. He’s been off for a while but is trotting now and it’s good to have him back under tack.

“He gave Wathnan a tremendous day last year and he will be given all the time he needs, he will never be rushed. He’s a much-loved horse amongst the Wathnan team.”



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Trueshan and Hollie Doyle unstoppable in Prix du Cadran

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Trueshan galloped to a peerless victory under Hollie Doyle in the Qatar Prix du Cadran at ParisLongchamp.

Alan King’s popular gelding first landed the marathon contest from Stradivarius in 2021 and was well-fancied to win again in a field of six, having made a winning return after a break in the Doncaster Cup.

Sent off the 6-5 favourite, he led the way throughout from Frankie Dettori and Emily Dickinson, and when asked to quicken in the home straight he was easily able to pull clear of his rivals to secure an easy win from Moon Wolf and Run For Oscar.

King, who did not make the journey to Paris, said: “I had a busy morning at home and I’ve just walked into Newmarket, but obviously I’m thrilled.

“I spoke to Hollie this morning and we thought there wasn’t going to be much pace in the race. We said if that was the case we’d let him bowl along in front and he obviously loved it.

“He was more settled than he was at Doncaster and I think that was firstly because that run just knocked the freshness off him and second he just settled well in front today.

“We were struggling with him in the early part of the year, but the little wind operation we gave him as clearly helped and it looks like he’s right back to his best.”

Next on Trueshan’s agenda is a bid for a fourth consecutive victory in the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot on October 21.

“The good thing is we have a fresh horse for the backend of the season and obviously we hope to go back to Ascot in three weeks’ time to win that race for a fourth time,” King added.

“I’ll give him an entry in the Prix Royal-Oak the following week just in case he needs that extra time, but Ascot would be the plan.”

Doyle has now partnered Trueshan to 10 victories – and while he looked past his best after being beaten in his first two starts of 2023, the jockey feels he is now at the peak of his powers.

“He’s a special horse and all credit to everyone at Barbury Castle. He’s trained by a super trainer and it’s great for Alan to get him back to where he is, winning the Cadran for a second time,” she said.

“I was a little worried about the ground, but he got into a beautiful rhythm. My mum and dad are here and I don’t think my dad has seen me ride a Group One winner, so it’s extra special.

“I was disappointed at Doncaster, to be honest. I didn’t get a sense of happiness like I had today because to me he did it the wrong way round at Doncaster, whereas today he was foot perfect.”

Hollie Doyle with Trueshan and part-owner Andrew Gemmell
Hollie Doyle with Trueshan and part-owner Andrew Gemmell (PA)

Trueshan is part-owned by Andrew Gemmell, who was similarly thrilled.

He said: “It’s fantastic, I was a bit worried about the ground but he seemed to cope with it well.

“Hollie is a star and gets on so well with the horse. I’m just absolutely delighted. To win this race twice on ground that we weren’t sure about is brilliant.

“It’s great for Hollie, she didn’t have to press the accelerator too much did she? Let’s hope he can do it again in three weeks’ time at Ascot as that will be the fourth time he’s won that race.”



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Emily Dickinson bidding to emulate Kyprios with Cadran success

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Aidan O’Brien relies on Emily Dickinson as he bids to win back-to-back runnings of the Qatar Prix du Cadran.

Twelve months ago, the Ballydoyle trainer watched on in delight as his superstar stayer Kyprios produced a performance of absolute domination in the Group One feature over a searching two and a half miles.

An injury-hit campaign has only recently seen Kyprios back on a racecourse and he will not be in Paris on this occasion, instead waiting for the Long Distance Cup on Qipco British Champions Day.

Emily Dickinson steps up to the plate in his absence, with Frankie Dettori in the saddle as Ryan Moore is in Newmarket.

A consistent campaign has seen the daughter of Dubawi finish fourth in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot and second to runaway winner Quickthorn in the Goodwood Cup.

“We’ll run Emily Dickinson in the Cadran, she’s in good form,” O’Brien said.

Emily Dickinson at the Curragh
Emily Dickinson at the Curragh (Niall Carson/PA)

“Obviously, she had a good run in the Gold Cup and we’re pleased with her.

“We think the trip will suit her and any ease in the ground will suit her as well.”

Emily Dickinson was also entered for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe and connections may have been tempted by the race had the ground ended up much softer, as is usually the case at Longchamp in autumn.

“We were thinking about it (the Arc), if the ground had come up soft or heavy we probably would have had a good, strong think about it,” O’Brien told Sky Sports Racing.

“For as long as I can remember, most of the time the ground has been soft or even heavy on Arc weekend. If that was the case we definitely would have thought hard about it, she has form on good ground as well but she is better with more ease in the ground and we thought over the Cadran trip she would be more comfortable.

“She does stay very well and she seems in good form. I think when she ran in the Gold Cup she ran very well, even though the ground was quick she didn’t have any problems with it.”

Trueshan’s return to winning ways in the Doncaster Cup was one of the many highlights of the St Leger meeting.

It was just the third run of the year for Alan King’s hugely-popular gelding, who had been off since disappointing in the Sagaro Stakes at Ascot back in May, after which he had wind surgery.

He won this race in 2021 and is again partnered by Hollie Doyle before heading to Ascot on Champions Day.

Last year’s Cesarewitch winner Run For Oscar takes his chance for Charles Byrnes, with Skazino, Moon Wolf and Vert Liberte completing the line-up.



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