By Emma Berry
ASCOT, UK–This year's Royal Ascot has certainly been a successful one for a number of American owners, but Lindsay Laroche is no stranger to big-race success in Europe. The victory of Snellen (Ire) in the Chesham S. was that bit extra special for the Californian, however, as he is also the breeder of the daughter of Expert Eye (GB), who is the first foal of her dam Illumined (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}).
The seven-year-old mare raced in the colours of another owner-breeder, George Strawbridge, for whom she won twice and was listed-placed before being sold for 170,000gns at the Tattersalls December Sale in 2020. It is a family with some smart Ascot form in the book as Illumined is a half-sister to Night Lagoon (Ger) (Lagunas {GB}), whose son Novellist (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) still holds the 1m4f track record, set when he won the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. in 2013.
“It's such a thrill for us,” said Laroche, who had travelled to Ascot from San Francisco with his wife Deborah. “Daithi Harvey, my good friend and bloodstock manager, picked out the mare Illumined with a little bit of my help. We loved the German blood and the distance, and Expert Eye–well they seemed to work well together today at least.”
He continued, “We're very excited because we have a Blue Point (Ire) yearling filly and a Gleneagles (Ire) colt foal, and the mare has had three February 10, 8 and 12 babies, so she's a machine.”
Illumined boards at David and Tamso Cox's Baroda Stud alongside another of Laroche's mares, Princess Yaiza (Ire), who, like Snellen, was a Gavin Cromwell trainee. She won the G2 Prix de Royallieu on Arc weekend in 2018.
Laroche said, “[Illumined] is in foal to Bayside Boy (Ire). There were deals required to get to New Bay (GB)!
“But it's very exciting: a shout out to the thrill to come here to race in England, and in Ireland. We're based in California and we love the racing there but this is very, very special.
“Princess Yaiza was probably our biggest thrill until today, if not tied, as she won at Longchamp. She has a baby and another one coming.”
Another Harvey purchase, Sunset Shiraz (Ire) (Time Test {GB}), who was placed in the G1 Moyglare Stud S. and runner-up in both the G2 Debutante S. and G3 Park S., will join the broodmare band next year.
In his home country, Laroche, who also races under the Highland Yard banner, has horses in training with Christophe Clement. His colours have been carried to success there by the GIII Modesty H. winner Walk Close ((Tapit) among others.
The Chesham winner's name was well chosen considering her sire Expert Eye, as she takes her title from the famed Dutch ophthalmologist Herman Snellen, designer of the Snellen Chart which features ever-decreasing rows of letters and which can be found in optician stores the world over.
Laroche added, “People were asking before the race if I had pins and needles, but that was for her last race, the first race, when we wondering if she was any good.
“Gavin has all these two-year-olds and they are all about the same, and he said, “I don't know if they are all good or if they are all bad.' So it was a thrill just to get here and to do this, but there were less nerves this time.”
After Saturday, one thing is pretty clear: neither Cromwell nor Laroche will need glasses to see that they have a special filly on their hands.
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