By Sean Cronin
Ecurie Griezmann's battle-hardened 3-year-old filly Txope (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}–Power of the Moon {Ire}, by Acclamation {GB}) had made seven consecutive starts in stakes company leading into Sunday's G2 Wempe 102nd German 1000 Guineas at Dusseldorf and emerged with a career high to add to a victory in last term's Listed Winterkonigin Trial at Cologne. The €310,000 Arqana September yearling went postward for this second start in Germany coming back off a fifth in Deauville's Apr. 7 G3 Prix Imprudence and a runner-up finish in ParisLongchamp's May 1 Listed Prix du Pont Neuf. Txope broke swiftly from the inside stall and was steadied to track the leaders in a close-up third going into the first turn. Cutting loose once inside the quarter-mile marker, she quickened in impressive fashion to poach a decisive advantage approaching the eighth pole and was ridden out in the closing stages to hold the late rush of Mylady (Ger) (The Grey Gatsby {Ire}) by 3/4-of-a-length.
“This is a very special moment for me and also for the filly, the owner and the trainer,” winning rider Aurelien Lemaitre told GaloppOnline. “She is an iron-hard filly and has improved with every race. She has a very good action and a very good turn of foot.” Trainer Philippe Decouz, watching on from ParisLongchamp, added, “Aurelien [Lemaitre] gave her the perfect ride from behind and, when he let her loose, she was gone too far clear for Mylady's late finish to make any difference to the result. We will carefully consider our plans and she might have a break over the summer, but there's still the option to go to Deauville. She's able to handle smaller, tighter tracks, so we might try our luck in a Grade I race in the Unites States in the second half of the season.”
Txope, full-sister to a 2-year-old filly, is the third of four foals and lone stakes scorer from two winners and as many runners produced by MSP Listed Prix de la Vallee d'Auge and Listed Prix Ronde de Nuit runner-up Power of the Moon (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), herself a half-sister to G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte and G3 Prix Eclipse victrix Zinziberine (Zieten). Zinziberine has four stakes performers to her credit, headed by the G3 Prix de Cabourg victor Zanzibari (Smart Strike), as well as being the second dam of the stakes-winning Zylpha (Ire) (Elusive City). The April-foaled bay's second dam Amenixa (Fr) (Linamix {Fr}) is a full-sister to dual G1 Prix Royal-Oak hero Amilynx (Fr) and Listed Prix Ceres winner Amie de Mix (Fr). Amenixa is also half to G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte victor Amiwain (Fr) (Unfuwain) and hails from the family of MGISW distaffer Life's Magic (Cox's Ridge).
Sunday, Dusseldorf, Germany
WEMPE 102ND GERMAN 1000 GUINEAS-G2, €125,000, Dusseldorf, 6-12, 3yo, f, 8fT, 1:35.82, gd.
1–TXOPE (FR), 128, f, 3, by Siyouni (Fr)
1st Dam: Power of the Moon (Ire) (MSP-Fr), by Acclamation (GB)
2nd Dam: Amenixa (Fr), by Linamix (Fr)
3rd Dam: Amen, by Alydar
1ST GROUP WIN. (€310,000 Ylg '20 ARQSEP). O-Ecurie Griezmann; B-Haras Voltaire (FR); T-Philippe Decouz; J-Aurelien Lemaitre. €70,000. Lifetime Record: GSP-Fr, 12-3-5-1, €154,450. Werk Nick Rating: C. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Mylady (Ger), 128, f, 3, The Grey Gatsby (Ire)–Minoris (Fr), by Dabirsim (Fr). (€20,000 RNA Ylg '20 BBAGO). O/B-Gestut Karlshof (GER); T-Markus Klug. €28,000.
3–Dishina (Ger), 128, f, 3, Soldier Hollow (GB)–Dhaba (Ger), by Areion (Ger). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O/B-Gestut Park Wiedingen (GER); T-Peter Schiergen. €15,000.
Margins: 3/4, NK, 1 1/4. Odds: 5.70, 3.10, 37.30.
Also Ran: Mythicara (Ire), Fast Attack (Ire), Jumbly (GB), Villefranche (Ger), Goldana (Ire), La Estrellita (Ire), Lacuna (GB), Nandina (Ger). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
