By Sean Cronin
Carlos Laffon-Parias trainee Tumbler (Fr) (Kingman {GB}), a hitherto untested homebred sporting the colours of Alain and Gerard Wertheimer, was eclipsed for favouritism in the betting, but opened up with an impressive daylight rout of five rivals in Thursday's Prix As d'Atout, a seven-furlong heat for unraced 2-year-old colts and geldings, at Saint-Cloud. The 17-5 chance was swiftly into stride and settled into a smooth rhythm racing third, four lengths off the pace, through halfway. Sent wide with the field into the straight, he quickened in taking fashion to sweep by Heatherwood (Fr) (Birchwood {Ire}) passing the two pole and powered clear in style once easing underneath the stands' side rail with 300 metres remaining. Tumbler stretched out to a 10-length advantage from Heatherwood at the line, earning a 'TDN Rising Star' on debut.
“He is a colt who has worked very well in the mornings at home and we were confident beforehand, but it's never easy to know the level of the others in these [debutants'] races,” declared Laffon-Parias. “He shows a lot of character and we must see how he takes his race before deciding if we run again this year. I am hopeful he will be better than his [stakes-placed half-] brothers Twist and Kertez.”
Tumbler is the fifth of seven foals and fourth scorer produced by a winning half-sister to three stakes winners headed by G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains-winning sire Falco (Pivotal {GB}) and G3 Prix Eclipse victrix Iron Lips (GB) (Iron Mask). Descendants of Iron Lips include stakes-winning multiple Spanish champion Oriental (Jpn) (Smart Strike), Listed Prix Millkom runner-up Argentic (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) and Listed Prix Francois Boutin third Unveil (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}). The March-foaled bay is a half-brother to Listed Prix de Saint-Patrick runner-up Twist (Fr) (Pivotal {GB}), Listed Prix Turenne second Kertez (GB) (Intello {Ger}), a yearling colt by Anodin (Ire) and a weanling filly by Siyouni (Fr). Tumbler's second dam Icelips (Unbridled), herself out of a half-sister to G1SW sire Groom Dancer (Blushing Groom {Fr}), is a half-sister to MG1SP G2 Prix de Malleret victrix Legerete (Rahy) and G2 Prix de Malleret runner-up Underwater (Theatrical {Ire}). Legerete's trio of stakes performers is headed by MGSP Listed Prix Matchem victor Pilote (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) while Underwater's black-type descendants include G3 Prix Noailles and G3 Prix Exbury winner Soleil Marin (Ire) (Kendargent {Fr}).
2nd-Saint-Cloud, €27,000, Mdn, 10-7, unraced 2yo, c/g, 7fT, 1:34.29, vsf.
TUMBLER (FR), c, 2, Kingman (GB)
1st Dam: Distortion (GB), by Distorted Humor
2nd Dam: Icelips, by Unbridled
3rd Dam: Sea Hill, by Seattle Slew
1ST-TIME STARTER. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, €13,500. O/B-Wertheimer & Frere (FR); T-Carlos Laffon-Parias. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.
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