By Tom Frary
Making up for the Epsom eclipse of Saxon Warrior (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) 24 hours earlier, the Niarchos Family's Study of Man (Ire) stepped up to provide Japan's monarch with a first European Derby in Sunday's G1 QIPCO Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly. Connections had toyed with the idea of going to Epsom with the impressive G2 Prix Greffulhe winner, but opted to stay at home with this 10 1/2-furlong trip deemed more suitable at present for the grandson of the great Miesque (Nureyev). Anchored in mid-division early by Stephane Pasquier having received an ideal low draw, the 37-10 second favourite was brought to bear on the leaders passing the two-furlong pole and gained a slight advantage shortly after. Showing resilience in the acceleration-deadening ground on the run to the line, the homebred held off the 21-1 shot Patascoy (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) by a half-length, with the 58-1 chance Louis D'Or (Ire) (Intello {Ger}) a head back in third in a French-dominated renewal as the home team filled the first five places. Pascal Bary was equalling the modern-day record of Alain de Royer-Dupre with a sixth victory in this and a first in it after the distance was shortened in 2005.
“Since day one, I knew he was potentially a good horse and this season has been perfect,” he said. “Even though he was beaten on his first run this year [when second in the Apr. 8 G3 Prix La Force], the ground was much too soft and he needed the race. He maybe had a hard race today with that hot weather, so I don't think he'll run in the [G1] Grand Prix de Paris [at ParisLongchamp on July 14]. It is more likely we'll give him a break.”
Electra Niarchos said, “It's a great relief. He's a fantastic horse with a lot of heart. He's descended from Miesque and it's a very special victory for everyone. It's always special to win these type of races and it's a fabulous feeling. Deep Impact is an incredible stallion.”
Stephane Pasquier added, “It's incredible and he's a super colt with a lot of heart. It wasn't a race tailor-made for him, as I had to make more use of him than ideal. He showed his fighting qualities to the very end, as he's better than the rest. It's now full steam ahead to the Arc.”
There was much expectation surrounding Study of Man on his sole juvenile start over a mile at Saint-Cloud in September and he duly delivered by two lengths to give his esteemed connections time to dream during the winter. Second to the smart British raider Chilean (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) in the Prix La Force over nine furlongs at ParisLongchamp on his return, the bay shot to the highest ranks of his generation when dismissing the top German colt Alounak (Fr) (Camelot {GB})–who is now bound for the July 8 G1 Deutsches Derby at Hamburg–with real authority in the Prix Greffulhe at this trip back at Saint-Cloud May 8.
The owner-breeders' racing manager Alan Cooper paid tribute to the bloodstock organisation he has so long been a part of. “This is a great moment for the operation and it is a great privilege for all of us to work with these top families which were built up in the eighties,” he commented. “This is especially important due to the presence of Miesque, who is such a source of incredible winners and another Classic winner. Pascal Bary always said that this was a good horse. It is a moment to savour for a long time.”
Granted a genuine tempo as Kenya (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) played out the familiar Ballydoyle pace-making role, he raced alongside Rostropovich (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) halfway down the field but, unlike that contemporary, was able to produce a short burst of speed to get out of a potential pocket approaching two out. It may be that the 16-5 favourite Olmedo (Fr) (Declaration of War) was on the worst part of the ground on the rail, but the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner was never in the hunt once the pressure was applied in the home straight like the other market principals Rostropovich and Key Victory (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}). Study of Man was quickly past the ultra-game Patascoy and the chief overseas threat Hunting Horn (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and although it was slow-motion action in the closing stages, he had that extra something to call on from his reserves to get him home in front.
The form of the G3 Prix de Guiche worked out particularly well, with that trial's runner-up Patascoy defying a wide draw and trip to earn a sterling second. Trainer Xavier Thomas-Demeaulte said, “What a performance. He hadn't run a bad race last time and today he had a bad draw, but that's the sport and we have to deal with it. He's run a very brave race, but is not entered in the Grand Prix de Paris so right now I have no plans.”
Tony Castanheira was equally delighted with the effort of Louis D'Or, who left his latest running when 11th in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains well behind. “People had discarded him as he ran badly last time, but in fact that was a strange race and he was bumped at halfway and had to travel wide, plus he lost two front shoes,” he explained. “He had run such a good race the time before [when third in the G3 Prix de Fontainebleau] that I thought he had a chance and the owner left it to me, so I thank him for that. Now we will stop with him and wait for the autumn, as his target is the Arc.”
Pedigree Notes…
Study of Man's dam Second Happiness (Storm Cat), who was seventh on her only start at Longchamp 13 years ago, is one of seven daughters of this operation's brilliant Miesque, one of the great international racemares who was able to plunder Classics in Europe and back-to-back runnings of the Breeders' Cup Mile. The others include the G1 Prix de Diane and G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine East of the Moon (Private Account) and the dams of the top-level winners Rumplestiltskin (Ire) (Danehill), Tapestry (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Amanee (Aus) (Pivotal {GB}). The Niarchos Family's enterprise in using exotic sires with their European mares is well known and they must have drawn encouragement from the way that the Deep Impact-sired Real Steel (Jpn) was able to draw on this dynasty's class when winning the G1 Dubai Turf. He was a grandson of Miesque's daughter Monevassia (Mr. Prospector), who was herself responsible for the aforementioned Rumplestiltskin and Tapestry. This is the second European Classic victory in a week for the operation after Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), who is out of an unraced daughter of East of the Moon, captured Sunday's G1 Irish 1000 Guineas. The dam has a 2-year-old colt Tiki (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and a filly foal by Galileo (Ire) to come. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Sunday, Chantilly, France
QIPCO PRIX DU JOCKEY CLUB-G1, €1,500,000, Chantilly, 6-3, 3yo, c/f, 10 1/2fT, 2:07.44, sf.
1–STUDY OF MAN (IRE), 128, c, 3, by Deep Impact (Jpn)
1st Dam: Second Happiness, by Storm Cat
2nd Dam: Miesque, by Nureyev
3rd Dam: Pasadoble, by Prove Out
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O/B-Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd (IRE);
T-Pascal Bary; J-Stephane Pasquier. €857,100. Lifetime
Record: 4-3-1-0, €960,700. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple
Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Patascoy (Fr), 128, c, 3, Wootton Bassett (GB)–Noble World
(Ger), by Winged Love (Ire). (€40,000 Ylg '16 ARAU2).
O-Roberto Cocheteux Tierno; B-Mme Barbara Moser (FR);
T-Xavier Thomas-Demeaulte. €342,900.
3–Louis d'Or (Ire), 128, c, 3, Intello (Ger)–Soudanaise (Ire), by
Peintre Celebre. (€27,000 Ylg '16 AROCT). O-Camille Garnier;
B-Dayton Investments Ltd (FR); T-Tony Castanheira. €171,450.
Margins: HF, HD, HD. Odds: 3.70, 21.00, 58.00.
Also Ran: Intellogent (Ire), Not Mine (Ger), Hunting Horn (Ire), Hey Gaman (GB), Key Victory (Ire), Rostropovich (Ire), Flag of Honour (Ire), Dice Roll (Fr), Stable Genius (Fr), Olmedo (Fr), Beat Generation (GB), Naturally High (Fr), Kenya (Ire). Scratched: Al Adaid (Fr), Pharrell (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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