Tag Archive for: Shes Perfect

Golden Eagle swoop in the pipeline for globetrotting Luther

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Charlie Fellowes’ star Luther is set to add another destination to his global-trotting Pattern quest with the Golden Eagle in Sydney.

The three-year-old Frankel colt celebrated victory, albeit through the stewards’ room, in the Grade Two National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes at Saratoga in America on Friday, which came just four weeks after taking place honours in the Belmont Derby at the same venue.

Now, the Bedford House handler is seeking to emulate the success of the William Haggas-trained Lake Forest at Rosehill in Australia, following a stint back at home and a potential run in the Group Two Park Stakes at Doncaster on St Leger day.

“He couldn’t have taken it any better,” Fellowes said on Wednesday. “He’s on his way home and will be back tonight. Really proud of him.

“He ran third in a Grade One over there and the form’s worked out really well. The first and second in the Belmont Derby were first and third in the Saratoga Derby, so that form looks strong and he beat some good European horses in the process.

“Then we went and won, slightly controversially, but I think anyone watching that race saw how messy it was and I think if we had a relatively smooth trip it would have been a really, really good race between us and probably the best turf three-year-old horse in America (Zulu Kingdom).

“He’s coming home, but at the moment, the potential plan is to head to the Golden Eagle down in Sydney. It’s a A$10million (£4.89m) race, seven and a half furlongs, he has so much speed, I’ve got no problem with the seven and a half with him.

“His part-owner lives in Singapore so that makes sense, so that’s very much our end-of-season target. He’s probably done enough now to get a slot in that race.

“Whether he has a run here before then as a little prep run, not quite sure yet. I put him in the Park Stakes at Doncaster, so that could be a goer.”

Shes Perfect is another leading light in the Fellowes yard.

However, the Sioux Nation filly – who unfortunately for her connections suffered contrasting fortunes in the stewards’ room when relegated from first place in the French 1,000 Guineas – will not be seen again until next year.

Fellowes said: “She’s absolutely good as gold, but she’s finished for the year.

“She’s sound, which is the most important thing, but X-rays we took last week showed a definite small weakness in her right-hind fetlock which just needs a little bit of time to heal and the vets were concerned that if we pressed on, something a bit more significant could happen.

“It sounds very positive, it just needs time and they are very positive that she’ll be back next season where hopefully she can bag the Group One that she so deserves.

“It was just too risky. She’s had a long season anyway, she would probably have only had two more races I’d have thought.

“We’ve not missed out on loads, I’m gutted that we are not running in a Foret because that race would have absolutely suited her, but maybe that will wait until next year.

“She’s a lovely big filly, she’s only going to improve with age so next year should be great for her.”

Blow for Fellowes and Basher Watts, as Shes Perfect meets with setback

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Charlie Fellowes’ French 1000 Guineas runner-up Shes Perfect has met with a setback, although an autumn return is not out of the question.

The chestnut’s success story for syndicate owners Basher Watts Racing has been one of the tales of the season so far, with her second in the Prix de la Grotte to Zarigana introducing her as a three-year-old to follow throughout her Classic year.

She then crossed the line first in the French Guineas, seemingly turning the tables on Zarigana, but was controversially demoted to second before being denied the reinstatement of the victory in a later appeal.

Her career has now been interrupted by a minor issue, with the Prix de la Foret a target in autumn but not one that she will be rushed towards if she is not ready.

“I’m afraid Shes Perfect has had a setback, it will be touch and go as to whether we see her again this year,” said Fellowes.

“She’s going to need a few weeks on the easy list and we are hopeful of having her back in time for the Foret.

“It’s nothing serious, but she will require a little bit of time off. We will work backwards from the Foret, but if it’s not the right thing to do then we will put her away and she will be back bigger and better next year.

“She’s a lovely filly and she’s only going to improve next year, the future is still very bright.”

Luther handed more international targets

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Luther is poised to pick up plenty more air miles following his valiant effort in the Belmont Derby at Saratoga.

The Charlie Fellowes- trained three-year-old missed the break but rallied gamely in the hands of Kieran Shoemark to finish third, a length and a quarter adrift of winner Test Score.

Fellowes has plenty of options stateside for the son of Frankel before more globetrotting awaits with a trip to Sydney for the Golden Eagle at Rosehill.

He told Racing TV’s Luck On Sunday: “He ran really well. It didn’t quite go to plan, he was very slow out of the gates and we sat much further back than we intended to sit.

“He showed a really, really wicked turn of foot coming around the bend and then I just felt his run petered out through the last three-quarters of a furlong. My gut feeling is that he probably just doesn’t stay that nine furlongs and that really he’s a miler.

“There’s the Saratoga Derby back over course and distance in a month’s time but that’s over nine furlongs and I think that trip stretches him.

“There’s the Hall of Fame which is the day before which is the Grade Two which is worth $400,000 over a mile which is interesting.

“Then there’s the a race down at Colonial Downs about a week later called the Secretariat. It used to be a Grade One and now’s a Grade Two but it’s worth $500,000 so that’s a possibility.

“He’ll have one more run in America and then come back here. He loves quick ground so we’ll give him a freshen up and then end up somewhere like a Golden Eagle (in Australia).”

Fellowes has decided to swerve the Falmouth Stakes this week with Shes Perfect after a tough summer in France.

She was narrowly beaten by Zarigana in the Prix de la Grotte and then thought she had gained revenge in the French 1,000 Guineas only to lose the race in the stewards’ room.

She then stepped up in trip for the Prix de Diane but was a well beaten ninth after failing to see out the trip.

But the Newmarket handler has plenty of options for the daughter of Sioux Nation.

He said: “She’ll have a little freshen up, just to give her a bit of time before her next race and then a big autumn. I think we’ll probably go to the Valiant (at Ascot) or the Oak Tree at Goodwood, drop back to a mile or seven furlongs.

“And then you’ve got things like the Matron, the Sun Chariot or the race I really like for her is ironically the Foret which seemed like a really good plan until I heard Francis Graffard say they’re aiming Zarigana at it!”

Shes Perfect just that in workout, with Newmarket decision pending

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Shes Perfect worked nicely on the July course on Tuesday morning, with Charlie Fellowes set to make a decision on her participation in the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes in the coming days.

First past the post in the French 1000 Guineas before being demoted by the ParisLongchamp stewards, she failed failed to see out the 10-furlong trip in the Prix de Diane.

Fellowes would love a confidence-boosting win, with the Group Three Valiant Stakes at Ascot later in the month an alternative, but he also feels Newmarket will suit the daughter of Sioux Nation.

“The gallop went really well and I was very, very happy. She worked over seven furlongs, it was beautiful ground and I was very grateful to those at the July course for letting us do it,” said Fellowes.

“She looked great after it and we’ll see how she comes out of it. I’ll probably make a decision in the next few days or so.

“It’s a funny one, if it was the Valiant at Newmarket and the Group One at Ascot it would be a very easy decision because I like the idea of running at Newmarket – but I also like the idea of dropping down in grade and giving her a confidence boost. I just think Newmarket will suit her better than Ascot.

“We’ll look at potentially what is going to turn up and we’ll go from there.”

Newmarket workout key to Falmouth plans for Shes Perfect

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Shes Perfect faces a crucial gallop on the July course at Newmarket which will decide whether or not she lines up in the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes.

The Charlie Fellowes-trained filly was first past the post in the French 1000 Guineas only to be demoted by the stewards in favour of runner-up Zarigana.

Since then she was a blatant non-stayer in the Prix de Diane over 10 furlongs and Fellowes is keen to see how she handles the undulations at HQ before committing her to next week’s Group One.

“She’s really good. She’s going to work on the July course on Tuesday and depending on how that goes and her well-bring will determine whether or not we are going to the Falmouth on Friday week,” said Fellowes.

“If she doesn’t we could sit tight and go for something like the Valiant at Ascot on King George day (July 26).

“If she works really well and handles the undulations then I think we might find it hard to resist Newmarket, but if we feel the track doesn’t suit her then we might wait for Ascot.

“Ascot should suit her, although it is quite a stiff mile it is a drop down in grade and she wouldn’t have a penalty. I’d say it’s between those two.

“At the end of the day she’s not a stakes winner so although she was first past the post in a French Guineas, which will be a big asset to her valuation if and when she is sold, it would be nice to make her a stakes winner.

“It would be good to get her head in front and give her a confidence booster, but if she works really well, Newmarket can be one of those tracks where if you get on a roll in front you can be hard to pin back so it’s a track that interests me.

“She does handle soft ground so we’ve got that up our sleeve for the autumn, we’ve lots of nice options.”

Fellowes hoping for Perfect outcome in France

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Shes Perfect holds leading claims in the Prix de Diane at Chantilly, as she returns to France in search of the Classic glory she was agonisingly denied last month.

Owned by the Basher Watts Racing Club and trained by Charlie Fellowes, Shes Perfect was first past the post in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches before losing the race after an inquiry, and after unsuccessfully trying to appeal the decision, connections cross the Channel once again hoping to correct the record.

Fellowes said: “This has been the plan pretty much since the French Guineas and we had the choice between this or the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, but I always thought she would stay at least 10 furlongs and we felt this was the right time to try it.

“She’s in good order and hasn’t missed a beat since Longchamp and she’s travelled over well. They’ve had a bit of rain which is welcome and will hopefully take the sting out of the ground which is ideal.

“The draw is fine in seven and being honest with only 12 runners it wasn’t quite as crucial as it was for Luther in the French Derby where there was a few more and we didn’t want to be posted wide. Also she is electric out of the gates which negates any draw concerns really.”

It was Francis-Henri Graffard’s Zarigana who was ultimately awarded the French 1000 Guineas crown at ParisLongchamp, but her stablemate Mandanaba was also on the premises in third and Fellowes is respectful of the challenge she represents.

Fellowes added: “It’s a good race and there is plenty in there to beat.  Mandanaba ran a screamer in the Guineas and on pedigree should have no problem staying further and Aidan (O’Brien) has two in there who always have to be respected so it is no walk over by any stretch of the imagination.

“But we’re really looking forward to seeing her run and hopefully she can go over there and do the business.”

Trainer Charlie Fellowes could win his first Group One at Chantilly
Trainer Charlie Fellowes could win his first Group One at Chantilly (Mike Egerton/PA)

As identified by Fellowes it is Mandanaba who presents the biggest danger to Shes Perfect, with a Classic success for the daughter of Ghaiyyath particularly poignant as she runs in the colours of Princess Zahra Aga Khan.

Nemone Routh, manager for the Aga Khan Studs in France, said: “Her breeding would suggest she’ll be better over a mile and a quarter.

“We hesitated for a long time over whether to run in the Prix Saint-Alary or put her in the Group One Classic over a mile because it is a Classic and you don’t get many opportunities when the horse is well to run at that level in that type of race.

“She ran a great race, it was only her third run and she got left a little bit on her own on the inside and she was very game.

“She’s a very genuine filly who shows quite a lot of speed early in her races and we think she’s a filly who likes good, fast ground.

“She’s not a big filly, but she’s quite strong and it’s a nice story in that she’s the last foal of her dam Mandesha, who was retired after she foaled her.

“Mandesha was a champion for Princess Zahra who won three Group Ones over a mile, a mile and a quarter and a mile and a half, which is quite a rare achievement and it’s nice to find some of her quality in her last foal.”

Also trained by Graffard is Cankoura has won three of her five starts, although this represents a big rise in class from the Listed race she won at ParisLongchamp last time out.

Further British representation, meanwhile, comes with American Gal for the in-form Ed Walker and the John and Thady Gosden-trained Sand Gazelle, while O’Brien saddles Bedtime Story and Merrily, with Ryan Moore aboard the first-named.

Shes Perfect bids to repay owners’ faith in French Oaks

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After leaving a big-money offer on the table, Basher Watts is a mix of nerves and excitement ahead of Shes Perfect’s quest for Prix de Diane glory at Chantilly on Sunday.

Owned by the social media influencer’s burgeoning racing club, the Charlie Fellowes-trained filly showed her star quality when first past the post in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, with Watts revealing her owners had no hesitation in turning down a $2.5million offer from Japan to head back to France in search of Classic compensation.

“I’m nervous, but there’s also a lot of excitement there,” said Watts.

“We had a big offer for her last week but we put it to all her 38 owners and 37 instantly said no. You get into horse racing with a dream of owning a horse like her and sometimes some things are worth more than money.

“That 15 minutes when we thought we had won the race at Longchamp is worth more money than anyone would be willing to pay and I just couldn’t ever enjoy watching her in someone else’s silks. There are so many big races to come and we want to be the ones enjoying that journey with her.

“I went in to see her do her last piece of work last week and I’ve been in to see her again today and it all still doesn’t feel real that we own the favourite for the Prix de Diane.”

After losing the French 1000 Guineas in the stewards’ room and then also failing with their subsequent attempt to appeal the decision, the Shes Perfect team were left to contemplate a Royal Ascot rematch in the Coronation Stakes with ParisLongchamp rival Zarigana or stepping up in distance for another tilt at a Classic and also redemption in France.

However, with her handler keen to explore options up in trip and a tantalising ticket to the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe waiting to be stamped for later in the season, it was decided Shes Perfect could be aptly named for the challenge of the French Oaks, with connections buoyant after being handed stall seven at Chantilly.

“We definitely spoke in depth about where to go and there were a few different factors why we decided to go back to France,” explained Watts.

“One of them is we need to know whether she stays and this will only be the fifth run of her career, so let’s find out sooner or later if she does. She has an Arc entry and it’s unbelievable to think she could even be running in a Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

“This is the perfect step up for her without stretching her too far and we do think French racing suits her style of racing.”

He went on: “There is also the competitor in me who thinks how sweet would it be to go back to France and win the second Classic for fillies and this time keep it. This is our last ever shot at a Classic with her, so why not roll the dice and see.

“Last time out wasn’t the ending we wanted, but even going out to France with all her owners is an amazing experience and amazing trip and we’ll go back there and hope we can ‘win’ again.”

“We were happy with the draw in seven and I thought it would be typical if we got 12 of 12, but we’ll happily take seven. Let’s hope it’s the French paying us back a little bit and we’ll keep everything crossed.”

Monday Musings: When You’re Luck’s Out…

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I haven’t seen a proper replay of the French 1,000 Guineas finish - after that stewards’ enquiry I can’t be bothered to call it by its actual name, writes Tony Stafford. It’s hard not to be sorry for trainer Charlie Fellowes, his group of owners known as Basher Watts Racing 2 and jockey Kieran Shoemark, the team associated with Shes Perfect.

Sky Sports Racing elected to show the entirety of the 4.10 race from Plumpton, a series final hurdle race for inexperienced riders, with the big race (4.05 at Longchamp) showing commentary-free in a small right-hand corner of the screen. They played it after showing a re-run of the finish of the Plumpton race – maybe they were frightened that Peter Savill might get the needle if they went over to a Classic while it was actually being run?

After going over the line narrowly in first, the local stewards turned the verdict over in favour of Zarigana, running in the colours of the late Aga Khan. Everyone will be commiserating with Shoemark after the abrupt sacking as number one for the Gosden team following his fast-finishing second place on Field Of Gold in the previous weekend’s 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket.

A quick riposte on the next available weekend would have been a massive boost for him, but my own sympathies are at least as much directed to the owners who paid €50k for the Sioux Nation filly (out of a Galileo mare, no less) at Arqana’s May Breeze-Up a year ago. It was at that auction that Ruling Court, the horse that denied Field Of Gold and Shoemark, went through the ring 18 lots later for €2.3 million.

It would have been a remarkable Classic double on the same day for the sales company. Fellowes had fancied his chances of avenging a neck defeat by Zarigana in the Prix De La Grotte (Group 3), over the same course and distance last month.

In that context her price of 18/1 about Shes Perfect against the 4/5 of the favourite was a real aberration. Sadly, the stewards decided to allow yet another Classic win for those famous Aga Khan colours, denying Charlie Fellowes a crowning glory to his training career.

Immediately after the race, the jubilant owners, all booted and suited alike, were probably working out what each of them would be collecting from the £269k first prize. Their sights and no doubt their excitement was modulated with just over 100 grand to divvy up for second.

With 4th, 6th, 11th and 13th in the fillies’ Classic, Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore had a fleeting opportunity to see how the other half lives.

Leading into the Newmarket Guineas weekend, the story going around was that the Ballydoyle horses were a couple of weeks behind where the trainer would have liked and the single runner in both the 2,000 and 1,000 finished out of the frame.

Things move swiftly though in the pre-Derby and Oaks segment of the season and, since last weekend, O’Brien has won three Derby/Oaks trials at Chester; the Derby and Oaks trials at Lingfield on Saturday and Leopardstown’s time-honoured eliminator yesterday too.

To those manoeuvring performances, there was the more meaningful one-three in the French 2,000 Guineas that immediately preceded the fillies’ race. Here, Moore on Henry Matisse got the better of Andrew Balding’s Jonquil with Camille Pissarro a fast-finishing third after a crazy early gallop.

Fellowes did well here too. He had also given Luther a bright chance beforehand, conceding that a wide draw didn’t help. He flew down the outside for fourth, a short neck behind the O’Brien second string, again under Shoemark.

That sequence of O’Brien winners inevitably will have the York bookmakers dreading what to expect from the one talking horse of the spring among Coolmore’s Derby candidates. The Lion In Winter, who had the 2,000 Guineas hero Ruling Court back in third place when they met in last year’s Acomb Stakes over seven furlongs of the course in August is primed for his re-introduction in the Dante Stakes.

It was in this race 12 months ago that we saw a Derby-level performance by William Haggas’s Economics, but he reckoned the colt was too immature for the Derby at that stage of his development, and he duly sidestepped the Classic.

There will not be any similar reservations this time I’m sure, especially if the Lion In Winter can cope with Ruling Court’s stablemate, unbeaten supplementary entry Alpine Trail, who made his tally three from three in the Newmarket Stakes at the Guineas meeting.

Now it’s ten and a half furlongs, a trip more commensurate with The Lion In Winter’s pedigree. He is by Sea The Stars, unbeaten champion and Derby winner in 2009 from a staying female family, with the broodmare sire Lope De Vega also a good stamina influence. I can’t see why they are questioning his stamina – but every year of course they do!

He too was a sales buy, from Goffs Orby Book 1 in September 2023. The only surprise apart from his having ability, is that he cost a relatively modest €375,000. Some may say, a cup of tea. This game gets you thinking that way sometimes.

To list the Derby bit-part players for Aidan – a wise enough policy granted the wins within the past ten years of 40/1 shot Wings Of Eagles and Serpentine, 25/1 in the “Covid” Derby. I wonder whether Boris Johnson ought to have sponsored it. Serpentine was sold to Australia after a dull end to his Ballydoyle career and has run 16 times there for one win. His last run on January 1, was one of his worst, 14th of 15 in a Group 2 handicap. Not all the Williams acquisitions turn to gold.

Delacroix, impressive in an admittedly thin Cashel Palace Hotel Derby Trial Group 3 over ten furlongs at Leopardstown is sure to be in the Epsom line-up. The race has had several titles over the years, but the finest of them was when Golden Fleece beat Assert in the 1982 edition before Golden Fleece won the Derby so stylishly and Assert the French and Irish Derbys.

Both carried the Robert Sangster colours, Golden Fleece trained by Vincent O’Brien and Assert by his son David.

I had a particular interest in that race as fourth was Duke Of Dollis, who had the unfortunate task of taking the pair on twice for two places, previously when third in the Ballysax Stakes.

He ended up coming over to the UK and, trained by David Elsworth, turned up in a seller at Windsor. In those days it wasn’t regarded as de rigeur to claim horses, so I sent my deputy Adrian Hunt to do the dirty work.

Elsie wasn’t delighted but to his credit Adrian was always one to keep things close to his chest – unlike me! Sent to Roddy Armytage, Marcus’s father and a very good trainer, he recorded a hat-trick over hurdles for a team of very nice people who we managed to put together as a syndicate.

- TS