Night Of Thunder's Highfield Princess Takes The Maurice De Gheest

Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}–Pure Illusion {Ire}, by Danehill) had issued a warning to the sprinting ranks with a dynamic success in the May 11 G2 1895 Duke of York S. and the John Quinn-trained mare followed through at Deauville on Sunday when dominating the 6 1/2-furlong G1 ARC Prix Maurice de Gheest. Sixth but in the mix at the end of Royal Ascot's G1 Platinum Jubilee S. in the interim June 18, the 16-1 shot was full of energy early with Jason Hart keen to keep some back taking on the Japanese raider King Hermes (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) on the front end. Asserting despite jinking away from the whip from halfway, the 5-year-old had 3/4 of a length to spare over compatriot Minzaal (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) at the line, with Garrus (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) a head away in third as the Brits filled the first five places.

“She's taken her form to a new level this year,” Hart said. “The boss had this race mapped out after Ascot and he is never far wrong when he targets one. She's really special. I've had a couple of near-misses in group ones, in the Abbaye with El Astronaute and Safe Voyage in the Foret, so it's nice to come here and get one. She's very versatile regards trip and I was a small bit worried about the ground, but she proved me wrong.”

Bred and owned by John Fairley who is the landlord of Quinn's yard in Malton and races her under the banner of Trainers House Enterprises Ltd, Highfield Princess was foaled at Haras du Camp Benard in close proximity to the Normandy racecourse which witnessed her finest hour to date. Brought along steadily having missed her 2-year-old season, the bay initially came here on the back of four handicap wins for the Listed Prix Miss Satamixa on the Polytrack in December 2020 and failed to make it a happy homecoming when only 11th. Putting that experience behind her by earning a place in the line-up for Royal Ascot's seven-furlong Buckingham Palace H. last June, she confirmed her progression by taking that prize en route to a first black-type success in the Listed Queen Charlotte Fillies' S. on Chelmsford's Polytrack in July.

Second to Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G2 City of York S. at York's Ebor festival in August, she was dropped to six furlongs for the G1 QPICO British Champions Sprint S. and was sixth there before re-emerging early in 2022. Among her four all-weather efforts was a second placing in a five-furlong conditions event on Wolverhampton's Tapeta Mar. 19 and another win in Newcastle's All-Weather Fillies' and Mares' Championships Conditions S. back at seven Apr. 15, but it was in the 1895 Duke of York that she really shone with a display of sprinting power that took many by surprise. On that occasion, Minzaal and Garrus had followed her in third and fourth, so there was a symmetry in how this unfolded with her on the front foot throughout and the closers unable to make an impact. With sectionals of 10.98, 11.02 and 10.86 taking her to two out, she would have been forgiven for folding but as at York found reserves to kill it off.

“She's some mare. She's just continued to progress,” Quinn said. “We didn't take her to Newmarket for the July Cup as it's impossible to have an easy race in that and we've had this race in mind all season. She stays so well, the trip was bound to suit. She's in the Nunthorpe and she's in the Haydock race [the Sprint Cup], but our end game is the Breeders' Cup. There's the five-and-a-half-furlong sprint, but there's also a seven-furlong grade one for fillies only on the dirt and that really appeals to us. She's in the Flying Five at the Curragh and I like the look of that, as it's a win-and-you're-in for the Breeders' Cup, everything is paid for and the timing is perfect.”

“I'll also run her in the Abbaye, because she was second to Tone The Barone over five when I was getting her ready for Newcastle and she'd have won with a clear run,” he added. “Haydock and Ascot on Champions Day have to be considered, but for me it will be the Flying Five, the Abbbaye and the Breeders' Cup–or if something came up we'd seriously consider Haydock. She ran a mighty race at Ascot, beaten just over a length and it didn't quite fall for her. She went in under the radar today and didn't deserve to. She was a bigger price than some she finished in front of at Ascot. It's great to have a group one winner for me and my family and for Yorkshire.”

“The Wow Signal was a phenomenal horse, he won the Coventry and the Morny, but she's snapping at his tail now. She's five, but she didn't race at two and I think that has been massive. Her owner was very patient and it's paid off.” John Fairley was on hand to take in his dream moment and said, “This filly was foaled only about five miles away from here after I bought the mare in foal to Night Of Thunder and what a thrill for me, as I've been coming to Deauville since I was a teenager. What more could you want? I couldn't have had a more wonderful day and it's totally special.”

Highfield Princess, who was led out unsold at only 29,000gns when offered by Camp Benard at the 2018 Tattersalls December Yearling Sale, turned out to be some bonus as Fairley had paid just 18,000gns for the dam Pure Illusion two years earlier at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale from the Godolphin draft. In the meantime, her son Cardsharp (GB) (Lonhro {Aus}) had captured the G2 July S. and had placed in the G1 Middle Park S., G2 Gimcrack S., G2 Richmond S. and G2 Norfolk S. during a highly productive juvenile campaign which was no surprise given that the second dam Saintly Speech (Southern Halo) was precocious enough to win the G3 Princess Margaret S.

Saintly Speech is also the second dam of the G3 Park Express S. and G3 C. L. Weld Park S. winner Chrysanthemum (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), whose son Cunco (Ire) gave Frankel his first winner before going on to take the G3 Sandown Classic Trial. The family also includes the G3 Prix du Calvados winner Woodland Melody (Woodman), whose listed-winning daughter Shady Reflection (Sultry Song) produced the GII Las Vegas Marathon S. and GIII Greenwood Cup scorer Cary Street (Smarty Jones). Pure Illusion's 2-year-old colt Highfield Viking (GB) (Aclaim {Ire}) was bought back by Fairley at 40,000gns at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 3.

Sunday, Deauville, France
ARC PRIX MAURICE DE GHEEST-G1, €380,000, Deauville, 8-7, 3yo/up, 6 1/2fT, 1:15.30, g/s.
1–HIGHFIELD PRINCESS (FR), 127, m, 5, by Night Of Thunder (Ire)
     1st Dam: Pure Illusion (Ire), by Danehill
     2nd Dam: Saintly Speech, by Southern Halo
     3rd Dam: Eloquent Minister, by Deputy Minister
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (29,000gns RNA Ylg '18 TATDEY). O/B-Trainers House Enterprises Ltd (FR); T-John Quinn; J-Jason Hart. €217,132. Lifetime Record: GSW-Eng, 28-10-5-5, €599,947. *1/2 to Cardsharp (GB) (Lonhro {Aus}), GSW & G1SP-Eng, $355,619. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Minzaal (Ire), 130, c, 4, Mehmas (Ire)–Pardoven (Ire), by Clodovil (Ire). (85,000gns Wlg '18 TATFOA; 140,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Shadwell Estate Company Ltd; B-Ringfort Stud (IRE); T-Owen Burrows. €86,868.
3–Garrus (Ire), 130, g, 6, Acclamation (GB)–Queen Of Power (Ire), by Medicean (GB).
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. (€130,000 Wlg '16 GOFNOV; 100,000gns RNA Ylg '17 TATOCT). O-Susan Roy; B-Mrs Max Morris (IRE); T-Charles Hills. €43,434
Margins: 3/4, HD, NO. Odds: 16.30, 12.00, 19.00.
Also Ran: Rohaan (Ire), Naval Crown (GB), Artorius (Aus), Perfect Power (Ire), Accakaba (Ire), Miramar (GB), Harry Three (GB), King Hermes (Jpn), Namos (Ger), Amilcar (Ire), Kingentleman (GB). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.