By Tom Frary
There was the kind of drama at ParisLongchamp on Sunday that nobody needs as Godolphin's 2000 Guineas and St James's Palace S. hero Coroebus (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) suffered a fatal injury in early straight before Jason Fill's Dreamloper (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}–Livia's Dream {Ire}, by Teofilo {Ire}) ran out an impressive winner of the G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp. The Ed Walker-trained mare, who had also won the G1 Prix d'Ispahan here May 29, was prominently-placed throughout by Kieran Shoemark and was therefore ahead of the 21-10 favourite's fall passing two out.
Hitting the front with a furlong remaining, the 6-1 shot surged clear for an impressive 5 1/2-length success from Order Of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}), with The Revenant (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) 3/4 of a length away in third. “She's stepped up again–fair play to Kieran, we talked about the race for about four hours as it wasn't obvious what was going to happen tactically and then I just said 'do your job' and he absolutely nailed it,” Walker said. “She's not a straightforward ride, but ever since the Sun Chariot he's got on incredibly well with her and we are reaping the rewards for that. She's an eight to nine-furlong horse and I'd love to have a go at the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf–two turns and 9 1/2 furlongs would be perfect for her.”
Dreamloper's stock began to rise markedly with a 4 1/2-length defeat of the smart Freemason Lodge representative Lights On (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) in the G3 Valiant S. over a mile at Ascot last July and it was the drop back to seven rather than a dip in her level that was to blame for a fourth placing three weeks later in Newbury's G2 Hungerford S. Only 10th in the G1 Matron S. at Leopardstown in September, the bay began her fruitful partnership with Shoemark when third at 25-1 in the G1 Sun Chariot S. at Newmarket in October and it was at that track that she shone on her next start when coming back from the winter to annexe the nine-furlong G2 Dahlia S. at the start of May.
Her dynamic performance when taking the d'Ispahan over 9 1/4 furlongs led connections to point to a mile and a quarter for her next two starts, but her sixth in the G1 Pretty Polly S. at The Curragh June 26 and fifth in the G1 Nassau S. at Goodwood July 28 confirmed that she was being stretched too far. Granted an honest pace to run at here by the previously-unbeaten 3-year-old God Blessing (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}), Dreamloper was in her element and when let go showed top-class miling pace to dominate. “She clearly doesn't stay ten,” Walker added. “I blamed the ground in the Pretty Polly and really fancied her for the Nassau, where she was the winner at the nine pole but ended up fifth. The gap to the Sun Chariot is perfect, but there is the ground to think about and she's been busy and had a bit of travelling, so I might just freshen her up for one last hoorah at the Breeders' Cup.”
Coroebus, who had puzzled connections with a fifth placing in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville, was being angled out of a pocket by William Buick in early straight as he sustained his fatal injury and was euthanized soon after.
The Revenant showed he retains much of his ability on his comeback, posting a 11.06 penultimate furlong as he gave vain chase to the dominant winner on ground as lively as he can operate on. A repeat bid in the G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein back here on Arc weekend is the next port of call, with the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. as usual on his agenda. “Considering that he didn't have his favorite soft ground, I am delighted with this performance after a long break,” trainer Francis-Henri Graffard said.
Pedigree Notes:
Dreamloper's dam Livia's Dream (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), whose yearling filly by Golden Horn (GB) is catalogued in the upcoming Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1, enjoyed her finest hour when capturing the 12-furlong Listed Wild Flower S. She is out of the Listed Dick Hern Fillies' S. winner Brindisi (GB) (Dr Fong), whose listed-placed half-sister La Spezia (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) produced the G2 Doncaster Cup hero Thomas Hobson (GB) (Halling). Descended from Dick Hollingsworth's Oaks heroine Bireme (GB), the family features another heroine of that Epsom Classic in Talent (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), whose daughter Ambition (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) took the G2 Prix Corrida. Livia's Dream also has the unraced 2-year-old filly Dreamrocker (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}).
Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
PRIX DU MOULIN DE LONGCHAMP-G1, €450,000, ParisLongchamp, 9-4, 3yo/up, 8fT, 1:36.14, g/s.
1–DREAMLOPER (IRE), 127, m, 5, by Lope De Vega (Ire)
1st Dam: Livia's Dream (Ire) (SW-Eng), by Teofilo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Brindisi (GB), by Dr Fong
3rd Dam: Genoa (GB), by Zafonic
O-Jason Fill; B-Mrs Olivia Hoare (IRE); T-Ed Walker; J-Kieran Shoemark. €257,130. Lifetime Record: MGSW & G1SP-Eng, 17-6-1-3, €629,888. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Order Of Australia (Ire), 130, h, 5, Australia (GB)–Senta's Dream (GB), by Danehill. O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Mrs A M O'Brien; B-Whisperview Trading Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €102,870.
3–The Revenant (GB), 130, g, 7, Dubawi (Ire)–Hazel Lavery (Ire), by Excellent Art (GB). O-Al Asayl France; B-Al Asayl Bloodstock Ltd (GB); T-Francis-Henri Graffard. €51.435.
Margins: 5HF, 3/4, SNK. Odds: 6.10, 5.80, 2.80.
Also Ran: God Blessing (Ire), Lusail (Ire), Rocchigiani (GB), Goldistyle (Ire), Texas (Fr). Also Ran: (DNF): Coroebus (Ire). Scratched: Mangoustine (Fr). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
