By Sean Cronin
Stephanie Nigge trainee Normandy Bridge (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) annexed a Sept. 3 ParisLongchamp newcomers' event going one mile in his only prior start and maintained his prefect tally with a game success tackling the same distance in Friday's G3 Prix Thomas Bryon Jockey Club de Turquie at Saint-Cloud. The 32-5 chance was settled several lengths off the pace at the tail of the five-runner field as Godolphin's Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) established a substantial advantage by halfway. Sent wide off the home turn to plough a lone furrow underneath the stands' side fence in the straight, he came under pressure approaching the quarter-mile marker as Naval Crown wilted in front and kept on relentlessly under continued rousting in the latter stages to oust Homeryan (Fr) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) by 3/4-of-a-length in the final stride for a career high on black-type bow. Naval Crown kept on gamely once headed to finish another four lengths back in third, himself clear of the remainder.
“It was [jockey] Theo Bachelot's idea to go wide even though it was the first race of the day,” remarked trainer Stephanie Nigge. “Theo had walked the course and said it was much better ground [on the stands' side]. My idea was more to have a conventional approach and I told him to ride him gently, but that if he decided to go wide he better be right. He was right and I am delighted for the owner, who has supported me from day one, and for my staff. He is definitely a nice horse for next year so let's see how he comes out of this one before deciding if we run him again in the [Oct. 24 G1] Criterium International [over this course and distance].”
Normandy Bridge, the latest of 12 foals and one of 11 winners produced by G3 Fille de l'Air victress Aiglonne (Silver Hawk), hails from a family featuring G1SW sires White Muzzle (GB) (Dancing Brave) and Almutawakel (GB) (Machiavellian). His dam Aiglonne, kin to the dam of G1 Prix Saint-Alary heroine Germance (Silver Hawk), is out of stakes-winning G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere second Majestic Role (Fr) (Theatrical {Ire}). The April-foaled dark bay is a half-brother to G1 Prix d'Ispahan winner Mekhtaal (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), G2 Prix Hocquart scorer Democrate (GB) (Dalakhani {Ire}), dual Grade III victress Aigue Marine (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and the stakes-placed duo Apophis (Ire) (Rainbow Quest) and Crosswind (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}).
Friday, Saint-Cloud, France
PRIX THOMAS BRYON JOCKEY CLUB DE TURQUIE-G3, €56,000, Saint-Cloud, 10-2, 2yo, 8fT, 1:47.85, hy.
1–NORMANDY BRIDGE (FR), 126, c, 2, by Le Havre (Ire)
1st Dam: Aiglonne (GSW-Fr & GSP-US, $139,160), by Silver Hawk
2nd Dam: Majestic Role (Fr), by Theatrical (Ire)
3rd Dam: Autocratic (Ire), by Tyrant
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€80,000 Ylg '19 AROCT). O-Gerard Thomas Ryan; B-Haras du Mezeray SA & Ecurie Skymarc Farm (FR); T-Stephanie Nigge; T-Theo Bachelot. €28,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, €39,000. Werk Nick Rating: C. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Homeryan (Fr), 126, c, 2, Sea the Stars (Ire)–Roxelana (Fr), Red Ransom. (€125,000 Ylg '19 ARAUG). O-Ecurie de Montlahuc; B-Sunderland Holding Inc, Mme Hilary Erculiani & SCA Elevage de Tourgeville (FR); T-Francis-Henri Graffard. €11,200.
3–Naval Crown (GB), 126, c, 2, Dubawi (Ire)–Come Alive (GB), by Dansili (GB). O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charlie Appleby. €8,400.
Margins: 3/4, 4, 4HF. Odds: 6.40, 5.80, 1.30.
Also Ran: Mon Bel Canto (Fr), Tokyo Gold (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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