By Tom Frary
Providing a boost to TDN Rising Star Feed The Flame (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier and Westerberg's First Minister (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) mastered his peers in Thursday's G3 Prix Hocquart at ParisLongchamp. Runner-up to Pascal Bary's G1 Prix du Jockey Club-bound colt in the Prix de Ferrieres conditions event over just short of this 11-furlong trip at this track last month, the 9-2 shot was settled in third early under cover on the rail by Bauyrzhan Murzabayev.
Getting a gap on the fence to storm to the lead a furlong out, the bay who was also third behind the subsequent G1 Prix Saint-Alary runner-up Elusive Princess (Fr) (Martinborough {Jpn}) on unsuitably soft ground at Saint-Cloud at the beginning of April stayed on strongly to beat Harry Way (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) by 1 1/2 lengths. In doing so, he was providing Andre Fabre with a record-extending eighth winner of this staging post to the G1 Grand Prix de Paris.
Pedigree Notes
First Minister is a son of the GIII Noble Damsel S. and GIII Marshua's River S. scorer Naples Bay (Giant's Causeway). A half-sister to the GI Travers S., GI Whitney H. and GI Donn H.-winning leading sire Medaglia D'Oro, her 2-year-old full-sister to the winner was bought by BBA Ireland for 230,000gns at the Book 1 Sale, while she also has a yearling colt by Wootton Bassett (GB) and filly foal by St Mark's Basilica (Fr).
Thursday, ParisLongchamp, France
PRIX HOCQUART-G3, €80,000, ParisLongchamp, 5-25, 3yo, 11fT, 2:17.48, gd.
1–FIRST MINISTER (IRE), 128, c, 3, by Galileo (Ire)
1st Dam: Naples Bay (MGSW-US, $338,770), by Giant's Causeway
2nd Dam: Cappucino Bay, by Bailjumper
3rd Dam: Dubbed In, by Silent Screen
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-M Tabor & D Smith & Mrs J Magnier & Westerberg; B-Naples Bay Syndicate (IRE); T-Andre Fabre; J-Bauyrzhan Murzabayev. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 4-2-1-1, €64,350. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Harry Way (Fr), 128, g, 3, Galiway (GB)–Miss Vinga (Fr), by High Rock (Ire). O-Le Haras De La Gousserie & Robert Bonaventure; B-Robert Bonaventure (FR); T-Nicolas Perret. €16,000.
3–Rashford (Fr), 128, c, 3, Zarak (Fr)–Randium (Fr), by Sinndar (Ire). O/B-Friedrich Hodel (FR); T-Yann Barberot. €12,000.
Margins: 1HF, HD, 1 3/4. Odds: 4.60, 2.30, 3.10.
Also Ran: Alpenjager (Ger), Silawi (Ire), Guet Apens (GB). Video, sponsored by TVG.
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