By Sean Cronin
Craig Bernick and Haras d'Etreham's hitherto untested 2-year-old filly Les Pavots (Ire) (No Nay Never–Sparrow {Ire}, by Oasis Dream {GB}) was hammered down to 5-2 favouritism at the tills for Thursday's €30,000 Prix des Closeaux at Chantilly and returned home with a 'TDN Rising Star' badge after making all for an impressive success in the straight six-furlong newcomers' test. Breaking smartly to seize an immediate lead, she was in command throughout and kept on powerfully under pressure inside the final quarter-mile to easily outclass Freville (Fr) (Gleneagles {Ire}) by 3 1/2 lengths in taking fashion. Les Pavots becomes the seventh 'TDN Rising Star' for No Nay Never (Scat Daddy) and joins an honour roll which includes Ten Sovereigns (Ire) and Little Big Bear (Ire).
Nicolas de Chambure told TDN Europe that the partnership (Haras D'Etreham and Craig Bernick) had privately purchased three yearling fillies from Coolmore last year, one of which was Les Pavots.
“We do all these deals through Hubie De Burgh and it was a big team effort with Hubie and Craig to buy those fillies from Coolmore,” de Chambure said. “It's the first one of the three to race, and it's a great start to that partnership.”
The other fillies were also by No Nay Never, one out of Believe'N'Succeed (Aus) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) making her a half-sister to Anthony Van Dyck (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and the other is out of G1 Irish Oaks winner Bracelet (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}).
“Coolmore breed such brilliant horses, and it was great to be able to buy some of those well-bred fillies with long-term plans,” he added. “The filly out of Believe'N'Succeed is with Fabrice Chappet and the Bracelet filly is with Christophe Ferland.”
Les Pavots is the fifth of six foals and fourth scorer from as many runners produced by G3 Ballyogan S. third Sparrow (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), herself out of G3 Middleton S. victrix and G1 Oaks second All Too Beautiful (Ire) (Sadler's Wells). All Too Beautiful, in turn, is a daughter of storied matriarch Urban Sea (Miswaki). The March-foaled chestnut is a half-sister to G1 Cox Plate and G1 Tancred S. hero Sir Dragonet (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), dual stakes-winning G3 Gordon S. and G3 N E Manion Cup placegetter Sir Lucan (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and a yearling colt by Camelot (GB).
1st-Chantilly, €30,000, Mdn, 5-4, unraced 2yo, 6fT, 1:11.84, g/s.
LES PAVOTS (IRE), f, 2, by No Nay Never
1st Dam: Sparrow (Ire) (GSP-Ire), by Oasis Dream (GB)
2nd Dam: All Too Beautiful (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
3rd Dam: Urban Sea, by Miswaki
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, €15,000. *1/2 to Sir Dragonet (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), MG1SW-Aus, GSW-Eng & G1SP-Ire, $3,663,231; and Sir Lucan (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), SW & GSP-Aus, SW-Ire & GSP-Eng, $192,495. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.
O-Craig Bernick & Haras d'Etreham; B-Coolmore Stud (IRE); T-Francis-Henri Graffard; J-Tony Piccone.
Impressive 2YO winner for Champion 2YO Sire NO NAY NEVER as Les Pavots bolts up by 3½ lengths on debut @fgchantilly for @GraffardRacing & @craigb1818 @Haras_d_Etreham#CoolmoreSires #HomeOfChampions
pic.twitter.com/5ksbJWg7Qn— Coolmore (@coolmorestud) May 4, 2023
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