By Tom Frary
Off the mark over nine furlongs at Fontainebleau Apr. 12, Al Shaqab Racing and Ballylinch Stud's Place du Carrousel (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) came through her first major test in style to annexe Friday's G3 Prix Cleopatre at Saint-Cloud. Bred to appreciate at least this 10 1/2-furlong trip, being out of the G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris winner Traffic Jam (Ire) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}), the Andre Fabre trainee was held up in last early in contrast to her last outing when she was sent forward from the break. Nudged along by Mickael Barzalona to close at the top of the straight, the 23-10 favourite was produced wide to overhaul Samahram (Fr) (Sea the Moon {Ger}) and Kawida (GB) (Sir Percy {GB}) with 100 metres remaining and beat that duo by 3/4 of a length and a head respectively.
Rupert Pritchard Gordon, representing Al Shaqab in France, said, “When she won last time at Fontainebleau she jumped the pedestrian path after the finish line, unseated Mickael Barzalona and was knocked by the filly behind her that fell–it was a scary moment and she was given a few days off to recover,” he explained. “Lately, she was fine at home and pleasing in her work and she confirmed that today in good style. She was perfectly relaxed behind and she quickened brilliantly, so we have to be delighted. She is in both group 1s, the [May 29] Saint Alary [at Parislongchamp] and the Diane [at Chantilly June 19], and Andre Fabre will make the call.”
Place du Carrousel, who was a €260,000 purchase by Mandore International Agency at the 2020 Arqana Deauville Select Sale, is the first foal out of the aforementioned Traffic Jam who was also second in the G2 Prix de Pomone and is a half to the dam of the Australian group 3-placed Last Sight (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}). Her family features the G1 Racing Post Trophy runner-up Winged Cupid (Ire) (In the Wings {GB}) and the G1 Coronation S. and G1 Matron S. heroine Lillie Langtry (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), which links her to Galileo's Minding (Ire) and Empress Josephine (Ire) and Sunday's G1 1000 Guineas hopeful Tuesday (Ire). The dam has the 2-year-old filly Nariman Point (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), a yearling filly by Kingman (GB) and a filly foal by Sea the Stars (Ire).
Friday, Saint-Cloud, France
PRIX CLEOPATRE-G3, €80,000, Saint-Cloud, 4-29, 3yo, f, 10 1/2fT, 2:15.38, g/s.
1–PLACE DU CARROUSEL (IRE), 126, f, 3, by Lope de Vega (Ire)
1st Dam: Traffic Jam (Ire) (GSW-Fr, $211,247), by Duke of Marmalade (Ire)
2nd Dam: Place de l'Etoile (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
3rd Dam: Sweet Emotion (Ire), by Bering (GB)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€260,000 Ylg '20 ARQSEP). O-Al Shaqab Racing & Ballylinch Stud B-Ballylinch Stud, Alexis Adamian & Mme Fan Adamian (IRE); T-Andre Fabre; J-Mickael Barzalona. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, €58,900. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Samahram (Fr), 126, f, 3, Sea the Moon (Ger)–Djumama (Ire), by Aussie Rules.
1ST BLACK-TYPE. (€160,000 Ylg '20 ARQSEP). O-Al Shaqab Racing; B-Frank Janorschke (FR); T-Francis-Henri Graffard. €16,000.
3–Kawida (GB), 126, f, 3, Sir Percy (GB)–Kandahari (GB), by Archipenko. O/B-Miss K Rausing (GB); T-Ed Walker. €12,000.
Margins: 3/4, HD, 2. Odds: 2.30, 3.80, 2.90.
Also Ran: Hometruths (Ire), Qarasha (GB), Regalis (Fr). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.
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