Tag Archive for: Ramatuelle

Head sights set on Vermeille date for Blue Rose Cen

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Blue Rose Cen will head to the Prix Vermeille in a bid for further Group One success after her Nassau Stakes outing ultimately ended in disappointment.

The Churchill filly has been the star of Christopher Head’s stable this season, winning three of her four runs and backing up a successful juvenile campaign in which she was a Group One winner in the Prix Marcel Boussac.

Her three-year-old season started in the Prix de la Grotte, a Group Three she won comfortably before landing the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, over the same ParisLongchamp mile the following month.

A further start at Group One level ended in a four-length victory in the Prix de Diane, a performance that paved the way to Goodwood’s flagship summer meeting.

She started as the 10-11 favourite under Aurelien Lemaitre, but the race did not go as planned when the partnership found themselves boxed in two furlongs from home and could not throw down a challenge until it was too late.

Blue Rose Cen had to settle for fourth behind Al Husn, Above The Curve and Nashwa, but was only beaten a length and a quarter in a tight finish.

The Prix Vermeille, over a mile and a half on Arc trials day back at ParisLongchamp, is next on the agenda as she steps up in trip again.

Blue Rose Cen following her run at Goodwood
Blue Rose Cen following her run at Goodwood (Molly Hunter/PA)

“She is very well, she had a good journey back from France and everything is all right,” Head said.

“Everything has gone smoothly with her since Goodwood and she worked well (on Wednesday morning).

“We’re still hoping to go through with the schedule we had in mind for her and the Vermeille is the plan – everything is good.”

Head has a another top-quality filly in the two-year-old Ramatuelle, a chestnut daughter of Justify who is partly owned by the NBA hall of famer Tony Parker.

Ramatuelle has won three of her four starts so far, with the last two successes coming at Group level as she landed the Prix du Bois by five lengths and the Prix Robert Papin by four.

The Prix Morny, a six-furlong Group One run at Deauville, is now the target.

“She’s doing fine, she’s really good,” Head said.

“She’s just full of speed and I have entered her in the Morny, that is going to be the plan for her.

“I’m very happy with her. She runs over that distance and at that pace really fluently, we are delighted to see her win her races and we just can’t wait to see her run again.”



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Ramatuelle lifts Papin prize at Chantilly

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Ramatuelle looks another high-class performer for Christopher Head after the filly became the first French-trained winner of the Prix Robert Papin for 10 years.

The Group Two at Chantilly has been dominated by overseas raiders in recent years, with the likes of Tis Marvellous, Signora Cabello and Blackbeard all on the roll of honour.

This time though, it was all about Head’s hugely-promising filly, who has won three of her four starts.

Her only defeat came on her second outing when beaten by Beauvatier, a subsequent Listed winner who is now unbeaten in three.

She was always travelling very kindly in the hands of Aurelien Lemaitre and once asked to put the race to bed, there was never a question she was going to quicken away.

Amy Murphy’s Myconian briefly threatened to get involved but it was Aidan O’Brien’s His Majesty who stayed on for second, beaten four lengths.

It continues a great season for Head, who has enjoyed plenty of success with Blue Rose Cen and Big Rock already.

Former NBA star Tony Parker is one of the owners of Ramatuelle
Former NBA star Tony Parker is one of the owners of Ramatuelle (PA Wire)

The winning filly is owned by a syndicate which includes former NBA star Tony Parker, who told Sky Sports Racing: “It was a great win and I’m very happy for the team.

“The coach has a plan and now it’s on for the (Prix) Morny next month.

“She’s at home here, that’s her third win here and she’s clearly comfortable here at Chantilly, hopefully it will be the same next month.

“She’s super calm, it looks like she knows what she wants to do and she’s loving it. Her number one quality is her calmness. She has a huge heart and huge talent.

“I just like to share everything with our team, we share the same passion.”

Head said: “She was incredible, she loves the speed and she’ll be going to the Morny for sure. I just can’t wait to get to that race.

“I was not concerned about her being keen as there was nobody who wanted to go in front of her, she’s capable of doing better than that, of course.

“She’s pretty much like an older horse, it’s a pleasure to see her in races behave this way.”



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