By Tom Frary
Relishing the heavy ground at Saint-Cloud on Sunday, the Wertheimers' Double Major (Ire) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}–Dancequest {Ire}, by Dansili {GB}) successfully defended his crown in the feature G1 Prix Royal-Oak. Tracking the leader Trueshan (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}) from the break, the 13-2 shot was committed by Maxime Guyon with 300 metres remaining and stayed on strongly to deny the 23-10 favourite Sevenna's Knight (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) by 1 1/4 lengths, with Trueshan a head away in third.
“I am very proud of him,” trainer Christophe Ferland said. “Last year, we made the mistake of returning him to the stud for winter and he enjoyed his holiday too much. He lost all his muscle and it was hard to bring him back to form.”
Making all to win this by 7 1/2 lengths at its traditional home of ParisLongchamp 12 months ago, Double Major who had also won the G2 Prix Chaudenay looked set to place himself among the leading stayers this term but it was not until the G2 Prix Maurice de Nieuil back at ParisLongchamp that he regained the winning thread in July. After following up in Deauville's G2 Prix Kergorlay in August, he was expected to be a big player taking on Kyprios (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Prix du Cadran but failed to see out the marathon trip and beat no rivals.
This was a step back in the right direction and a Spring campaign in Dubai now beckons according to Ferland. “He came back over the summer in the Maurice de Nieuil and now he's hit top form,” he said. “In the Cadran the jockey respected him when he felt the distance was too long–he pulled back and knew there was this race three weeks later. He is going to stay at home and will do some hacking around and probably lead the babies as well. He will stay in the stables for the winter and I think we will prepare him for Dubai.”
Back-to-back victories for Double Major in the Group 1 Prix Royal-Oak at Saint-Cloud for @maximeguyon_off and @teamchferland! #ダイワメジャー pic.twitter.com/iNC2ctPnMV
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 27, 2024
Pedigree Notes
Double Major's dam Dancequest, who is also responsible for the G3 Prix de Guiche winner Flop Shot (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) and the listed-placed Veritas (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), is kin to the classy Plumania (GB) (Anabaa) who enjoyed her finest hour here when taking the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and the G2 Prix de Royllieu winner Balladeuse (Fr) (Singspiel {Ire}). The latter is in turn the dam of the G1 Prix Vermeille winner Left Hand (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and one of the best of the current crop of 3-year-old fillies in 2024 in Aventure (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). Second in this month's G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and the G Prix Vermeille, she was successful in the summer's G2 Prix de Pomone and G3 Prix de Royaumont.
Balladeuse is also the second dam of this year's G1 Prix du Jockey Club runner-up First Look (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), while Plumania's four black-type performers are headed by the G2 Prix du Muguet scorer
Plumatic (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). The star-studded family also includes the leading sire Groom Dancer and the G1 Prix Vermeille-winning champion Indian Rose (Fr) (General Holme). Dancequest's unraced 2-year-old filly by Dubawi (Ire) is named Rooba (Ire), while she also has a yearling colt by First Look's sire Lope De Vega named Vegetarien (Ire) and a colt foal by Saxon Warrior (Jpn) named Saxoniste (GB).
Sunday, Saint-Cloud, France
PRIX ROYAL-OAK-G1, €350,000, Saint-Cloud, 10-27, 3yo/up, 15 1/2fT, 3:33.16, hy.
1–DOUBLE MAJOR (IRE), 130, g, 4, by Daiwa Major (Jpn)
1st Dam: Dancequest (Ire) (SP-Fr), by Dansili (GB)
2nd Dam: Featherquest (GB), by Rainbow Quest
3rd Dam: Featherhill (Fr), by Lyphard
O/B-Wertheimer & Frere (IRE); T-Christophe Ferland; J-Maxime Guyon. €199,990. Lifetime Record: 15-7-4-2, €768,110. *1/2 to Flop Shot (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), GSW-Fr, $266,711; and Veritas (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), SP-Fr. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Sevenna's Knight (Ire), 130, c, 4, Camelot (GB)–Sevenna (Fr), by Galileo (Ire). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-OTI Management Pty Ltd; B-Gestut Ammerland (IRE); T-Andre Fabre. €80,010.
3–Trueshan (Fr), 130, g, 8, Planteur (Ire)–Shao Line (Fr), by General Holme. (€8,000 Ylg '17 OSLATE; 31,000gns 2yo '18 TATHIT). O-Singula Partnership; B-Didier Blot (FR); T-Alan King. €40,005.
Margins: 1 1/4, HD, 5. Odds: 6.50, 2.30, 2.70.
Also Ran: Al Qareem (Ire), Grosvenor Square (Ire), Shakti (Fr), Presage Nocturne (Ire), Align The Stars (Ire).
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