By Tom Frary
Up to a mile for the first time in Friday's G3 Prix Thomas Bryon Jockey Club de Turquie at Saint-Cloud, Baron Edouard De Rothschild's TDN Rising Star Alcantor (Fr) (New Bay {GB}) made light work of the test to put himself to the forefront of the year's home-trained juveniles.
Successful here and at Chantilly either side of a third to Havana Cigar (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) over a six-furlong trip that was too sharp at Chantilly in July, the Andre Fabre trainee was always in his comfort zone tagging on to the back of the field with Mickael Barzalona content to wait.
Allowing White Birch Farm's fellow TDN Rising Star Havana Cigar first run in the straight, the €180,000 Arqana December Foal purchase was finally unleashed wide of the remainder to take control a furlong out en route to a comfortable 2 1/2-length success. The Aga Khan's unexposed Saganti (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) got up for second, a short neck ahead of Havana Cigar who appeared to tire late.
“His last race was the perfect education to teach him to relax after he had done too much in front on his second start,” Edouard De Rothschild said. “We also made the right decision not to run him in the Prix des Chenes at Longchamp on a day when the temperature reached new heights. He is certainly a very good horse with a lot of talent and it would be nice for his future career at stud to try to win a Group 1 this year, so the Criterium International is a possibility. We will first see how he comes out of this race and then decide then if we run him again this season or wait for 2024.”
Pedigree Notes
Alcantor's dam Bianca De Medici (GB) (Medicean {GB}), a half to the stakes-winning Hungarian champion Thunder Teddington (GB) (Halling), is also responsible for the G2 Union-Rennen winner Boscaccio (Ger) (Mount Nelson {GB}). She is a granddaughter of the Haras du Quesnay broodmare of note Trevillari (Riverman), a full-sister to the G1 Prix Saint-Alary heroine Treble who produced the GI Shoemaker Breeders' Cup Mile-placed Tsigane (Fr) (Anabaa) and the dam of the brilliant dual G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Treve (Fr) (Motivator {GB}).
Also connected to last year's G2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup winner Francesco Guardi (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and the multiple champion Triptych, Bianca De Medici's yearling filly by Romanised (Ire) was a €170,000 purchase by Haras de Meautry at last month's Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale. She also has a filly foal by Waldgeist (GB).
Friday, Saint-Cloud, France
PRIX THOMAS BRYON JOCKEY CLUB DE TURQUIE-G3, €80,000, Saint-Cloud, 9-29, 2yo, 8fT, 1:41.35, sf.
1–ALCANTOR (FR), 126, c, 2, by New Bay (GB)
1st Dam: Bianca De Medici (GB), by Medicean (GB)
2nd Dam: Tremiere (Fr), by Anabaa
3rd Dam: Trevillari, by Riverman
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€180,000 Wlg '21 ARQDEC). O-Baron Edouard de Rothschild; B-SCEA du Grand Chene (FR); T-Andre Fabre; J-Mickael Barzalona. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-1, €77,100. *1/2 to Boscaccio (Ger) (Mount Nelson {GB}), GSW-Ger. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Saganti (Fr), 126, c, 2, Zarak (Fr)–Saghaniya (Fr), by Rock Of Gibraltar (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-H H The Aga Khan; B-H H The Aga Khan's Studs SC (FR); T-Mikel Delzangles.
3–Havana Cigar (GB), 126, c, 2, Havana Grey (GB)–Speculating (Ire), by Xtension (Ire). (21,000gns Wlg '21 TATFOA; 150,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-White Birch Farm; B-Josh Cameron (GB); T-Jean-Claude Rouget. €12,000.
Margins: 2HF, SNK, NK. Odds: 1.50, 8.80, 3.20.
Also Ran: Devil's Point (Ire), Warnie (Ire), Schutzenzauber (Ger), Bateau Blanc (GB). Video, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
Very nice! Alcantor sweeps from last to first to land the Group 3 Prix Thomas Bryon at Saint-Cloud for @mickaelbarzalon and André Fabre 🇫🇷
A certain Continuous won this race in 2022… pic.twitter.com/gQVJjw6Yte
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) September 29, 2023
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