Le Havre's Vaucelles Swoops For Malleret Success

Gerard Augustin-Normand's twice-raced Vaucelles (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) finished just over six lengths off Tawkeel (GB) (Teofilo {Ire) when fourth on stakes bow in last month's G1 Prix Saint-Alary at Chantilly and took the step forward with a career high in Tuesday's G2 Prix de Malleret at ParisLongchamp. Employing patient tactics racing fourth of five for most of the 12-furlong contest, the May 31 Deauville maiden winner was rousted into action when the sweeping rally of Oriental Mystique (GB) (Kingman {GB}) along the false straight forced all rivals to commit sooner than expected. In pursuit mode off the home turn, the 23-10 second favourite outbattled Bonne Idee (GB) (Frankel {GB}) to seal second entering the final furlong and found another gear in the dying embers to deny the enterprisingly ridden British challenger by 3/4-of-a-length in the shadows of the post, while Bonne Idee was chinned on the line for third by Mozzarella (Fr) (Power {GB}).

“We made the right decision to bypass the [G1] Prix de Diane in favour of this race,” commented winning trainer Pascal Bary. “To have gone to Chantilly [for the Diane] would have been too hard for a filly who had her first start so late and with little experience. She is a lovely looking sort, she has improved regularly and has that turn of foot all the good ones have. She'll now have another break and will return in the [G1] Prix Vermeille [back at this venue] in September.”

Vaucelles is the second of four foals and lone performer out of Listed Prix Finlande and Listed Prix Miss Satamixa placegetter Vaunoise (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), herself full to G3 Centenary Vase second Setphensons Rocket (Ire) and a half to G3 Prix La Force third Beauvoir (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}). The February-foaled chestnut is a full-sister to the hitherto unraced 2-year-old colt Vergoncey (Ire), who is in training with Jerome Reynier, and half to a yearling filly by Caravaggio. Her third dam Moucha (Fr) (Fabulous Dancer), herself kin to GIII A Gleam H. victress Daloma (Fr) (Bellypha {Ire}), was runner-up in the Listed Grand Criterium de Bordeaux and produced GIII Laurel Dash winner Mayoumbe (Fr) (Kaldoun {Fr}) and MSW G3 Gallinule S. third Tipperary All Star (Fr) (Highest Honor {Fr}).

Tuesday, ParisLongchamp, France
PRIX DE MALLERET-G2, €90,000, ParisLongchamp, 7-14, 3yo, f, 12fT, 2:29.27, g/s.
1–VAUCELLES (FR), 123, f, 3, by Le Havre (Ire)
1st Dam: Vaunoise (Ire) (MSP-Fr), by Teofilo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Tipperary Honor (Fr), by Highest Honor (Fr)
3rd Dam: Moucha (Fr), by Fabulous Dancer
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Gerard Augustin-Normand; B-Franklin Finance SA (FR); T-Pascal Bary; J-Christophe Soumillon. €51,300. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, €69,865. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Oriental Mystique (GB), 123, f, 3, Kingman%20(GB)#tot">Kingman (GB)–Madame Chiang (GB), by Archipenko. O/B-Kirsten Rausing (GB); T-David Simcock. €19,800.
3–Mozzarella (Fr), 123, f, 3, Power (GB)–Melting Ice (Ire), by Verglas (Ire). O-Paul Normand & Freddy Normand; B-Larissa Kneip & Sandrine Grevet (FR); T-Nicolas Caullery. €9,450.
Margins: 3/4, 2HF, SNK. Odds: 2.30, 12.00, 7.80.
Also Ran: Bonne Idee (GB), Trefoil (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.