By Tom Frary
France looks to have a new staying star after the hybrid Melbourne Cup contender Sevenna's Knight (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) confirmed the form of the G3 Prix de Barbeville in Sunday's G2 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier at ParisLongchamp. Bought by OTI Management prior to his breakthrough black-type win in Deauville's Listed Michel Houyvet in August, the Ammerland-bred colt had been kept back from big competition by Andre Fabre until his 4-year-old bow when sixth in Meydan's G2 Dubai Gold Cup.
Showing the benefit of that patient approach when domineering Shembala (Ire) (Cracksman {GB}) in the Barbeville last month, he was back to affirm his superiority over that filly on four-pound worse terms to continue his path to Flemington. Content to lope in second off the ever-modest early tempo that characterises the marathon events in these parts, the 7-5 favourite was moved up to subdue last year's G1 Prix Royal-Oak winner Double Major (Ire) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}) by Mickael Barzalona with 300 metres remaining and found the line with 1 3/4 lengths to spare over Shembala.
Terry Henderson of OTI Racing outlined the plan. “He's progressed a lot since he was a three-year-old and coming back for the group three and now this has really cemented our expectations for better things to come,” he said. “It's a breed that does improve with age, it's well known that they tend to be better at four and five and that's one of the reasons we were encouraged to buy him, so I think it's simple maturity–mental and physical.”
“We've certainly got a man who knows what he's doing when it comes to bringing these horses along, we can now maybe give him one more run in the [G1] Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and then bring him back again later in the year,” he added. “He was put under a lot of pressure from the 800 and Sevenna's Knight was still able to sprint off that, which was a very encouraging sign that he's going to come back in distance and do well. The Melbourne Cup is one of the options. I think what happens in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud will dictate what direction we go in, we'll either stay for the serious races at the end of the season or we'll go to Melbourne.”
Great ride from @mickaelbarzalon!
Sevenna's Knight bides his time before bypassing Double Major to land the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier in comfortable fashion… pic.twitter.com/nwjy1aIcHU
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 26, 2024
Pedigree Notes
Sevenna's Knight is one of five black-type winners out of the G3 Lillie Langtry Fillies. S. winner Sevenna (Fr) (Galileo {Ire}) including the G3 Prix de Royaumont winner Savanne (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) and the G3 Sandown Classic Trial winner Sevenna Star (Ire) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}). Sevenna is a half-sister to the G2 Schwarzgold-Rennen winner Scatina (Ire) (Samum {Ger}), whose descendants include the G3 Premio Parioli (Italian 2000 Guineas) and G3 Dusseldorfer Fruhjahrs Mile scorer See Hector (Ger) (Counterattack {Aus}).
The third dam is the G2 Preis der Diana (German Oaks) and G3 German 1000 Guineas heroine Slenderella (Ger) (Alpenkonig {Ger}), with this being the damline of the legendary racemare and producer Schwarzgold (Ger). Sevenna's as-yet unraced 3-year-old full-brother to the winner is named Master Of The Maul (Ire).
Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
PRIX VICOMTESSE VIGIER-G2, €130,000, ParisLongchamp, 5-26, 4yo/up, 15 1/2fT, 3:21.15, sf.
1–SEVENNA'S KNIGHT (IRE), 126, c, 4, by Camelot (GB)
1st Dam: Sevenna (Fr) (GSW-Eng), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Silvassa (Ire), by Darshaan (GB)
3rd Dam: Slenderella (Ger), by Alpenkonig (Ger)
O-OTI Management Pty Ltd; B-Gestut Ammerland (IRE); T-Andre Fabre; J-Mickael Barzalona. €74,100. Lifetime Record: 13-4-2-1, €221,250. *1/2 to Savanne (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}), GSW-Fr, $139,572; Sevenna Star (Ire) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}), GSW-Eng; Samurai (Ire) (Shamardal), SW-Ger, $107,273; and Sassella (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), SW-Fr. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Shembala (Ire), 122, f, 4, Cracksman (GB)–Shebella (Ire), by Dubai Destination. O-H H The Aga Khan; B-H H The Aga Khan's Studs SC (IRE); T-Francis-Henri Graffard. €28,600.
3–Double Major (Ire), 126, g, 4, Daiwa Major (Jpn)–Dancequest (Ire), by Dansili (GB). O/B-Wertheimer & Frere (IRE); T-Christophe Ferland. €13,650.
Margins: 1 3/4, 3, 4HF. Odds: 1.40, 5.50, 3.30.
Also Ran: Sober (Fr), Al Nayyir (GB), Magic Merlin (Fr). Video, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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