JUAN FOR THE MONEY
Fresh from registering a breakthrough score in last Saturday's Listed Rockingham S. at York, Donjuan Triumphant (Ire) (Dream Ahead) continued in similar vein to annex Friday's G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte in impressive fashion. The 21-2 chance, who had previously garnered a Sept. 18 Ayr nursery handicap after hitting the board in his first four starts, was niggled along near the back of the seven-runner field after missing a beat at the kick. He was urged to join the front rank passing the quarter-mile marker and easily asserted under whipless rousting thereafter to score by 5 1/2 lengths from Dressed in Fur (Ire) (Excellent Art {GB}). Hitherto unbeaten Irish raider Smash Williams (Ire) (Fracas {Ire}) was a further 3/4 of a length adrift in third. “He has really improved in his last three runs, going from strength to strength, and that was a great performance,” said owner Middleham Park Racing's Ian Alexander. “He couldn't get the job done when looking set to win his earlier races, but is stronger now and that was quite something, travelling to France and winning after running just six days ago. The soft ground was an unknown factor, but when [jockey] Alexis [Badel] pressed the button he flew. He's in the [Nov. 1 G1] Criterium de Saint-Cloud and could come back for that, but we'll see how how he comes out of this first. He ought to be a proper Group 1 horse next year.”
Friday, Maisons-Laffitte, France
CRITERIUM DE MAISONS-LAFFITTE-G2, €190,000, MLF, 10-16, 2yo, 6fT, 1:13.10, sf.
1–@DONJUAN TRIUMPHANT (IRE), 128, c, 2, by Dream Ahead
1st Dam: Mathuna (Ire), by Tagula (Ire)
2nd Dam: Sigonella (Ire), by Priolo
3rd Dam: Stellina (Ire), by Caerleon
(€58,000 Wlg '13 GOFNOV; €50,000 RNA Ylg '14 GOFORB; 30,000gns 2yo '15 TATBRE). O-Middleham Park Racing LXXXVII; B-Patrick Cosgrove & Dream Ahead Syndicate (IRE); T-Richard Fahey; J-Alexis Badel. €108,300. Lifetime Record: SW-Eng, 7-3-3-1, €171,753. *1/2 to Caledonian Spring (Ire) (Amadeus Wolf {GB}), SW-Eng, $188,679. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Dressed in Fur (Ire), 125, f, 2, Excellent Art (GB)–Little Empress (Ire), by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire). (€19,000 Ylg '14 TISEP; 11,500gns HRA '15 TAJUL). O-Peter-Holm Lassen & Gerard Augustin-Normand; B-Cottage Bloodstock (IRE); T-Pia Brandt. €41,800.
3–Smash Williams (Ire), 128, c, 2, Fracas (Ire)–Take Flight (Ire), by Pivotal (GB). O-Military Syndicate & Mrs J S Bolger; B-Mrs M Joyce (IRE); T-Jim Bolger. €19,950.
Margins: 5HF, 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 10.50, 28.80, 1.10.
Also Ran: Jimmy Two Times (Fr), Log Out Island (Ire), Yakaba (Fr), Mont Kiara (Fr). Scratched: Omar Bradley. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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