By Tom Frary
PRECIEUSE METTLE
As the only sprinter in the line-up for Saturday's G1 Abu Dhabi Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, Anne-Marie Hayes's Precieuse (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) had it to prove but the Knocktoran Stud homebred saw out the mile emphatically to cause an upset in the Deauville-staged Classic. Just off the pace in the stand's-side group under Olivier Peslier, the 28-1 shot who was last seen finishing runner-up in the G3 Prix Sigy over six furlongs at Chantilly Apr. 9 was able to deliver her raw speed where it mattered at the end of this competitive renewal. Despite drifting markedly right in the run to the line, the homebred chestnut readily overhauled the British raider Sea of Grace (Ire) (Born To Sea {Ire}) in the final 100 metres to win by 1 3/4 lengths, with Heuristique (Ire) (Shamardal) another surprise package just 3/4 of a length away in third. The 4-1 favourite Senga (Blame) held every chance inside the last quarter mile, but faded to be 11th. “This filly was working well, but of course there was a question mark about the distance,” commented trainer Fabrice Chappet after greeting his first group 1 winner. “In the mornings she was showing me she would probably get the trip, but you never know until you go to the races. This is a great result for the whole team and is also the first filly I have trained for Mrs Hayes, so I have to thank her for trusting me.”
Saturday, Deauville, France
ABU DHABI POULE D'ESSAI DES POULICHES-G3, €500,000, DVL, 5-13, 3yo, f, 8fT, 1:37.69, vsf.
1–#@&PRECIEUSE (IRE), 126, f, 3, by Tamayuz (GB)
1st Dam: Zut Alors (Ire) (GSP-Fr & SP-Ger), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Zeiting (Ire), by Zieten
3rd Dam: Belle de Cadix (Ire), by Law Society
O-Mme Anne-Marie Hayes; B-Knocktoran Stud (IRE); T-Fabrice Chappet; J-Olivier Peslier. €285,700. Lifetime Record: 6-2-4-0, €345,600. *1/2 to Baccarat (Ire) (Dutch Art {GB}), SP-Eng, $321,096. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Sea of Grace (Ire), 126, f, 3, Born To Sea (Ire)–Lady Dettoria (Fr), by Vettori (Ire). (€80,000 Wlg '14 GOFNOV; €260,000 Ylg '15 ARAUG). O-Sunderland Holding Inc; B-Robert Norton (IRE); T-William Haggas. €114,300.[bullet ad=”mandore-purchased-by”]3–Heuristique (Ire), 126, f, 3, Shamardal–T'As d'Beaux Yeux (GB), by Red Ransom. (€100,000 Ylg '15 ARAUG). O-Ecurie de Montlahuc; B-Pontchartrain Stud (IRE); T-Francis-Henri Graffard. €57,150.
Margins: 1 3/4, 3/4, SNK. Odds: 28.00, 8.40, 15.30.
Also Ran: Wajnah (Fr), Rain Goddess (Ire), Roly Poly, Cristal Fizz (Ire), via Ravenna (Ire), Gokena (Fr), Thais (Fr), Senga, Asidious Alexander (Ire), Amaani (Fr), Toulifaut (Ire), Charm Appeal (Fr), Delectation (GB), Festive (Fr), Smoulder (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
Introduced as late as Oct. 12 in a six-furlong debutantes contest at Chantilly, Precieuse ended up a short-neck second to Charm Appeal (Fr) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}) who ironically was only able to beat three rivals in this race. In that same berth behind the British raider Private Matter (GB) (Mayson {GB}) in the Listed Prix Zeddaan 15 days later at that distance at Maisons-Laffitte, she was again the bridesmaid behind another from that country in Simmie (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) in the Nov. 15 Listed Prix Yacowlef over 5 1/2 furlongs back at Chantilly. Returning with a confidence-building three-length success in a six-furlong conditions event at Fontainebleau Mar. 17, she had her limitations exposed over speed trips when 3 1/2-lengths second to France's budding sprinting star Fas (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in the Prix Sigy.
Held on to by Olivier Peslier early tracking old rival Charm Appeal who led her pack, Precieuse was out of her ground with the group racing up the middle tending to dominate. With Charm Appeal providing a perfect lead to the quarter pole, Peslier was unconcerned as the likes of Roly Poly (War Front) and Senga made their moves to her right. Giving Via Ravenna (Ire) (Raven's Pass) a nudge as she was pulled out from behind the tiring leader, she picked up impressively to counter the attack of Sea of Grace on the wide outside and as she veered towards the Haggas runner it was clear that she was delivering an irresistible surge. There can be no fluke to this result and Precieuse is an unexposed filly at this trip, but as she is not entered for the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot June 23 her trainer will have to think about where to go now. “I don't think she'll stay much further than this and we will have to see how she comes out of it and decide what to do,” Chappet said. “She can always come back here for the [July 30 G1 Prix] Rothschild.”
William Haggas said of Sea of Grace, “She is definitely better on that ground and settled well. She came from a little bit far back, but at one stage I thought she'd win. I am obviously delighted and will bring her back for another group 1 race over a mile.” Heuristique's trainer Francis-Henri Graffard commented, “I am delighted with the result. She was trained specifically for this and had a real race today, so we'll see how she comes out of it, I don't think she'll stay further than that and if she recovers well she could come back in the [G2 Prix de] Sandringham [at Chantilly June 4].”
Precieuse is the latest promoter of her Co. Limerick-based Knocktoran Stud of Brendan and Anne-Marie Hayes, with her dam Zut Alors having raced for the operation with distinction when third in the 2006 G3 Prix Miesque. She is also the dam of the G3 Prix Fille de l'Air runner-up Peut Etre (Ire) (Whipper) and the Listed Hopeful S. third and 2014 Wokingham H. scorer Baccarat (Ire) (Dutch Art (GB). Zut Alors is one of five black-type performers out of the four-times stakes winner Zeiting alongside the G2 Grosse Europa Meile hero Combat Zone (Ire) (Refuse To Bend {Ire}), the G3 Strensall S. scorer and G1 Caulfield Cup runner-up Scottish (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) and his G3 Geoffrey Freer S-winning full-brother Royal Empire (Ire). The third dam Belle de Cadix also produced the G3 Prix du Bois winner Dolled Up (Ire) (Whipper) and is a three-parts sister to the triple group winner and G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis runner-up Fortune's Wheel (Ire) (Law Society). Dolled Up's half-sister Madany (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) is also the dam of the G1 Dewhurst S. and G1 2000 Guineas runner-up Massaat (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}). Zut Alors, whose group-placed half-sister Bikini Babe (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) produced an Exceed and Excel filly Rkaya who sold to Al Shaqab Racing as a yearling for €360,000, also has an as-yet unraced 2-year-old colt by Dark Angel (Ire) named Delph Crescent (Ire).
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