By Tom Frary
Things may not have clicked for 'TDN Rising Star' Tenebrism (Caravaggio) so far this season, but there is plenty of road left and Sunday's G1 Haras d'Etreham Prix Jean Prat at Deauville represents an opportunity for a clean slate over a seven-furlong trip that could prove her optimum. So impressive in the G1 Cheveley Park S. at Newmarket in September, the daughter of Immortal Verse (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) who had one of her finest hours here in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois put a disappointing effort in the 1000 Guineas firmly behind her when fourth in the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot last time June 17. “We had the option of the Falmouth S., but I think this race over seven furlongs is a good spot for her,” Ryan Moore said. “She clearly saw the mile out very well in the Coronation, but she has plenty of pace and I can see stepping down in trip really suiting her.”
Classic Convergence
Unusually, the winners of the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains and Pouliches meet here, having failed in their respective attempts following their May 15 ParisLongchamp Classic victories. In retrospect, the Poulains hero Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) had an impossible task trying to ward off Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}) from stall 13 in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly June 5 and he was arguably ridden too aggressively to overcome that compromising draw.
“He's very genuine and he's got a lot of natural pace,” Charlie Appleby said. “Hopefully it will be quick ground, which you can never be certain of in Deauville, but he's showing all the signs he was before the Guineas.” Best in the Pouliches, Mangoustine (Fr) (Dark Angel {Ire}) was only ninth in the Coronation but this seven could be more her metier and she looked strong over it when beating the subsequent G2 German 1000 Guineas winner Txope (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) in the G3 Prix Miesque at Chantilly in October.
New Opportunity
Sheila and John Lavery's 'TDN Rising Star' New Energy (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) has looked a cast-iron seven-furlong performer in two efforts at the top level over a mile, with his second in the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas May 21 and eighth in the June 14 G1 St James's Palace S. marked by moments of genuine threat. “I'm hoping it is not too close to Ascot, we've just been keeping him ticking over at home, so until we run him we won't know, but he's a very good traveller,” Sheila Lavery said. “I think seven will suit, he has such a high cruising speed. Ascot was a muddling race and I'm not overly sure whether he stayed the stiff mile.”
Also at Deauville, the Listed Prix Roland de Chambure over the same seven-furlong trip of the Jean Prat sees the 'TDN Rising Star' Breizh Sky (Fr) (Pedro The Great) bid to back up his eight-length debut success over six at Saint-Cloud May 17 racing in the Alain Jathiere silks for the first time.
Click here for the group fields.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
