By Tom Frary
It was another big day in the careers of Jean-Claude Rouget and Cristian Demuro at Chantilly on Sunday as Shadwell's Tawkeel (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) brought up a group 1 double for the trainer-jockey combination when extending her unbeaten run in style in the G1 Saxon Warrior Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary. Always travelling on an even keel in third, the winner of three minor all-weather events rushed by the G3 Prix Vanteaux winner Magic Attitude (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) with 350 metres to race and on to a five-length success from that rival, with the 7-5 favourite Solsticia (Ire) (Le Havre {Ire}) a head back in third.
Jean-Claude Rouget's assistant Jean-Bernard Roth said of the 3-1 winner, “She is a very sweet filly with a lovely attitude, but had not shown much in her morning work so we went step-by-step with her on the all-weather. She showed improvement with every run and did well last time to win a tricky race. She quickened very nicely today and I thought that was a very impressive performance. We have two lovely fillies for Sheikh Hamdan, this one and [the Listed Prix de la Seine winner] Raabihah (Sea the Stars {Ire}).”
Introduced at Rouget's local track Pau Jan. 3, Tawkeel hardly lit any fireworks winning a mile maiden on the Fibresand by a length but came alive making all in Cagnes-sur-Mer's Prix Georges Sandor on the Polytrack again at that trip Feb. 22. Post-lockdown, the homebred may have been a shade rusty when trebling her tally narrowly from Wangari (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) in the 9 1/2-furlong Prix de Lormoy conditions event at Deauville May 24, but they pulled 10 lengths clear of the remainder and that Fabre homebred went on to win the Listed Prix Finlande here during the week.
Whereas the Wertheimers' Solsticia looked too green to do herself justice as Maxime Guyon lost his whip in the home straight and the other Fabre runner Savarin (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) missed the break, Tawkeel was the model of professionalism throughout. Brushing aside Roy Jackson's purchase Magic Attitude with a fine blend of strength and panache, she will be a major force to be reckoned with if she is pitched into the G1 Prix de Diane in three weeks' time.
The day after Teofilo's sire Galileo established his world record at The Curragh, Darley's Kildangan Stud resident was embellishing his astonishing reputation also as a sire of sires. Tawkeel, who becomes Teofilo's 17th group 1 winner, is the first foal out of the Listed Grand Criterium de Bordeaux winner Rafaadah (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) who also raced for this yard. She is one of only two foals out of the high-class G2 Prix de Sandrigham winner and G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest runner-up Joanna (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}), who is in turn a half-sister to the G1 Livamol Classic victor Cazals (Ire) (Aussie Rules).
Tawkeel's unraced fourth dam Marina Lady (Riverman) is a half-sister to the Listed Brownstown Stud S. winner Idle Affair (Try My Best), who produced the GIII All Along S. and GIII Glen Falls H. winner Idle Rich (Sky Classic) and the Green Desert mare Sentimental Gift who is in turn the dam of the G1 Copa de Plata heroine Alexine (Arg) (Runaway Groom). The next dam Amenity (Fr) (Luthier {Fr}) is a full-sister to the G2 Prix de Chaudenay-winning champion and sire Ashmore (Fr). Rafaadah's unraced 2-year-old filly Buhoor (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is followed by a yearling full-brother to Tawkeel.
Sunday, Chantilly, France
SAXON WARRIOR COOLMORE PRIX SAINT-ALARY-G1, €150,000, Chantilly, 6-14, 3yo, f, 10fT, 2:01.62, g/s.
1–TAWKEEL (GB), 126, f, 3, by Teofilo (Ire)
1st Dam: Rafaadah (GB) (SW-Fr), by Oasis Dream (GB)
2nd Dam: Joanna (Ire), by High Chaparral (Ire)
3rd Dam: Secrete Marina (Ire), by Mujadil
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum; B-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd (GB); T-Jean-Claude Rouget; J-Cristian Demuro. €85,710. Lifetime Record: 4-4-0-0, €122,710. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Magic Attitude (GB), 126, f, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Margot Did (Ire), by Exceed and Excel (Aus). (€850,000 RNA Ylg '18 ARAUG). O-Roy Jackson; B-Katsumi Yoshida (GB); T-Fabrice Chappet. €34,290.
3–Solsticia (Ire), 126, f, 3, Le Havre (Ire)–Solilea (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). O/B-Wertheimer & Frere (IRE); T-Andre Fabre. €17,145.
Margins: 5, HD, 1. Odds: 3.10, 4.30, 1.40.
Also Ran: Vaucelles (Fr), Savarin (Jpn), Again Music (Fr), Moasa (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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