By Tom Frary
Ten Years on from the G1 Prix de l'Opera victory of her half-sister We Are (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), George Strawbridge's Friendly Soul (GB) (Kingman {GB}–In Clover {GB}, by Inchinor {GB}) stepped up to emulate her feat in ParisLongchamp's Longines-sponsored contest on Sunday. Brought through the educative stepping stones of Ascot's G3 Valiant Stakes and Deauville's G2 Prix Alec Head by John and Thady Gosden, the 9-1 shot tracked the early leader in second travelling sweetly.
Committed by Kieran Shoemark two out, the 3-year-old responded generously to assert her superiority and comfortably contain the threat of her stablemate Running Lion (GB) (Roaring Lion) to win by 3/4 of a length. The G1 Prix de Diane heroine Sparkling Plenty (Fr) (Kingman {GB}) was the same margin away in third.
“Her owner-breeder came over from the United States to be at Deauville and we were there with Freddy Head, we sat down afterwards and Freddy instructed us to come to the Prix de l'Opera so it is entirely his idea,” John Gosden said. “We were hoping to be good enough to come here, we didn't know if she'd handle the soft ground because the ground was quicker in Deauville but she did it very well.”
Three on the bounce! Friendly Soul wins the the Group 1 Prix de l'Opera Longines at @paris_longchamp in the hands of @KShoemark! #WinAndYoureIn pic.twitter.com/MUkwNIjkan
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 6, 2024
With the race offering an automatic berth in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, Gosden was left to ponder the option for the filly who so spectacularly blew out when trialing for a potential Classic tilt in York's G3 Musidora Stakes in May. “It's one mile and three furlongs and I think Kieran felt that a mile and a quarter was very much the top end of her range. She's won over a mile, but running a mile and three around a bend in Del Mar is a bit like running around a bull ring, so anything is possible.”
Del Mar is on the cards for stable's Running Lion according to owner David Howden's racing manager
David Redvers. “It was a wonderful performance from Running Lion, the best of her career. We are all happy,” he said. “She made a great effort and fought right to the end. Her jockey rode her magnificently and well done to her trainer. Since her first races, she has always been a strong representative for her sire, Roaring Lion. Over the coming weeks and once we have seen her recovery, we will discuss the possibility of her running in the Breeders' Cup.”
Pedigree Notes
Friendly Soul, who becomes the 12th top-level winner for Kingman who also accounted for the third-placed Sparkling Plenty, is one of seven stakes winners out of the G3 Prix de Flore-winning producer of note In Clover (GB) (Inchinor {GB}). Along with the aforementioned trend-setter We Are, whose full-sister With You (GB) captured the G1 Prix Rothschild, she is also responsible for the stayer Call The Wind (GB) (Frankel {GB}) who took this meeting's G1 Prix du Cadran. Another is the listed scorer Incahoots (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) who in turn produced Frankel's Kelina (Ire) who triumphed on this card last year in the G1 Prix de la Foret.
The G3 Prix de Royaumont-winning second dam Bellarida (Fr) (Bellypha {Ire}) is the ancestress of the G1 Hong Kong Vase hero Dominant (Ire) (Cacique {Ire}), the G1 Prix Jean Romanet winner Aristia (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) and the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Teppal (Fr) (Camacho {GB}). In Clover's foal is a full-brother to Friendly Soul.
Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
PRIX DE L'OPERA LONGINES-G1, €500,000, ParisLongchamp, 10-6, 3yo/up, f/m, 10fT, 2:07.65, vsf.
1–FRIENDLY SOUL (GB), 123, f, 3, by Kingman (GB)
1st Dam: In Clover (GB) (GSW-Fr, $222,716), by Inchinor (GB)
2nd Dam: Bellarida (Fr), by Bellypha (Ire)
3rd Dam: Lerida (Fr), by Riverman
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O/B-George Strawbridge (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Kieran Shoemark. €285,700. Lifetime Record: GSW-Eng, 6-5-0-0, €941,847. *1/2 to Call The Wind (GB) (Frankel {GB}), G1SW-Fr & GSP-UAE, $2,300,685; With You (GB) (Dansili {GB}), G1SW-Fr, $640,753; We Are (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), G1SW-Fr, $437,651; Dream Clover (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), MSW & GSP-Fr, $163,406; In Crowd (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), SW-Fr, $184,336; and Incahoots (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), SW-Fr. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Running Lion (GB), 128, f, 4, Roaring Lion–Bella Nouf (GB), by Dansili (GB). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-David Howden; B-The Bella Nouf Partnership (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden. €114,300.
3–Sparkling Plenty (Fr), 123, f, 3, Kingman (GB)–Speralita (Fr), by Frankel (GB). (€600,000 RNA Ylg '22 ARQAUG). O-Al Shaqab Racing & Jean-Pierre-Joseph Dubois; B-Jean-Pierre-Joseph Dubois (FR); T-Patrice Cottier. €57,150.
Margins: 3/4, 3/4, SNK. Odds: 8.90, 23.00, 3.50.
Also Ran: Fallen Angel (GB), Start Of Day (GB), American Sonja (GB), Almara (Fr), Elusive Princess (Fr), Hanalia (Ire), Content (Ire), Ylang Ylang (GB).
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