By Sean Cronin
White Birch Farm's Cheshire Academy (Fr) (Flintshire {GB}), who was victorious over 10 furlongs at Pau in both prior starts, retained his perfect record–after a fashion–when stewards intervened to promote the Jean-Claude Rouget trainee from a second-place finish, at the expense of 4-5 favourite Pretty Tiger (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), in Sunday's G3 Prix Noailles at ParisLongchamp. The 37-10 chance was slowest away and raced towards the rear until turning for home in this black-type bow. Nudged along to reduce arrears with 500 metres remaining, he came under increased pressure passing the quarter-mile marker and, impeded by the errant Pretty Tiger when set to pounce deep inside the final furlong, kept on well to finish a sliver behind that subsequently demoted rival.
“I didn't see the incident live, but from watching the head-on replay it was obvious and, with a nose between the two, I am not surprised the stewards took the 'winner' down,” explained trainer Jean-Claude Rouget. “This horse has a great potential, he has improved physically with time, but is very immature and still on the weak side. He would have preferred faster ground and the jockey said it was too soft for him. He quickened like a good one in the straight and will now go straight to the [June 6 G1] Prix du Jockey club [at Chantilly]. That will give him time to get stronger and, even if he doesn't win, it should set him up for the [July 14 G1] Grand Prix de Paris over one-and-a-half miles back here. That could be his race and, with time, he should definitely develop into a nice horse.”
Cheshire Academy is the first of two foals produced by stakes-winning GI Flower Bowl S. runner-up Danza Cavallo (Fr) (Sunday Break {Jpn}), herself full to MGSW Scandinavian champion Brownie (Fr) and one of three stakes winners out of the Listed Prix Urban Sea runner-up Tropical Mark (GB) (Mark of Esteem {Ire}). Tropical Mark is a granddaughter of G1 Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Tropicaro (Fr) (Caro {Ire}), who produced G3 Prix La Force scorer The Scout (Kris {GB}) and is the ancestress of G1 Premio Vittorio di Capua victor Amaron (GB) (Shamardal). Danza Cavallo, who is also a half-sister to GSW G1 Prix du Cadran third Trip To Rhodos (Fr) (Rail Link {GB}), has a yearling filly by Almanzor (Fr) to come.
Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
PRIX NOAILLES-G3, €80,000, ParisLongchamp, 4-11, 3yo, 10 1/2fT, 2:20.55, sf.
1–CHESHIRE ACADEMY (FR), 128, c, 3, by Flintshire (GB)
1st Dam: Danza Cavallo (Fr) (SW-Fr & GISP-US, $343,202), by Sunday Break {Jpn})
2nd Dam: Tropical Mark (GB), by Mark of Esteem (Ire)
3rd Dam: Tropical Zone (GB), by Machiavellian
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€77,000 Ylg '19 AROCT). O-White Birch Farm; B-SF Bloodstock SC (FR); T-Jean-Claude Rouget; J-Cristian Demuro. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, €57,750. Werk Nick Rating: F. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
*2–Pretty Tiger (Ire), 128, c, 3, Sea The Moon (Ger)–Fast and Pretty (Ire), by Zamindar. (€105,000 Ylg '19 ARAUG). O-Bernard Giraudon; B-Chevotel de la Hauquerie (IRE); T-Fabrice Vermeulen. €16,000.
3–Gregolimo (Fr), 128, c, 3, Galiway (GB)–Kendannemarie (Fr), by Kendargent (Fr). (€23,000 Ylg '19 ARAUG). O-Mme Meryl de Watrigant, Jerome Vallier & Ecurie Pierre Pilarski; B-Guy Pariente Holding (FR); T-Simone Brogi. €12,000.
Margins: (NO, 2HF, 3/4). Odds: 3.70, 0.80, 20.00.
Also Ran: Tokyo Gold (Fr), Media Stream (GB), Sa'ad (Fr), Baha Mar (Fr), Mythico (Fr), Fourviere (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.
*Demoted from first.
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