Sea The Stars' Aventure Sensational In The Royaumont

Relishing the step up to a mile and a half for the first time, the Wertheimers' blueblooded TDN Rising Star Aventure (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}–Balladeuse {Fr}, by Singspiel {Ire}) turned Sunday's G3 Prix de Royaumont at Chantilly into a procession to book her ticket to the G1 Prix de Diane.

Held up towards the rear early by Maxime Guyon, the Christophe Ferland-trained homebred took off when asked in the straight and after surging to the front 300 metres out hit the line with seven lengths to spare over Vigatata (Fr) (Sea the Moon {Ger}).

Aventure, who had impressed on debut here in September before finishing runner-up in Deauville's G3 Prix des Reservoirs the following month, had filled the same spot when narrowly denied a successful reintroduction by Gala Real (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in the 11-furlong Listed Prix de la Seine at ParisLongchamp last month. This was a serious jump in the right direction, with her winning time over a second and a half faster than the older horses recorded in the G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly.

“She had run a good race on her seasonal debut and had been working brilliantly since,” Ferland said of the half-sister to the G1 Prix Vermeille heroine and G1 Prix de Diane runner-up Left Hand (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). “We had decided to run this race first, as a security, and see from there if we could try the Prix de Diane. She was most impressive, no doubt. There was good rhythm in the race, she closed on the bridle and when Maxime switched her out she was flying. She is not very tall, but she has a real kick and a great action. She will tell us how she is and I'll then talk with the owners and Pierre Yves Bureau to reach a decision.”

Wins at a canter!

Aventure strikes impressively from off the pace in the Prix de Royaumont, she holds an entry in the Arc de Triomphe…@maximeguyon_off | @teamchferland | @fgchantilly pic.twitter.com/PUJEsKQecJ

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 2, 2024

Pedigree Notes

Aventure hails from a star-studded family, with the dam Balladeuse just one of its countless pattern-race winners having made her mark in the G2 Prix de Royallieu having been third in this in 2008. Alongside the aforementioned Left Hand, who in turn produced the listed winner and group-placed Left Sea (GB) (Frankel {GB}), she is also responsible for the G1 Prix Jean Romanet-placed Romanciere (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) and her listed-winning full-sister Blissie (GB) whose son First Look (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) was second in the card's feature G1 Prix du Jockey Club.

Balladeuse is kin to the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud heroine Plumania (GB) (Anabaa), who was also third in the G1 Prix de Diane and produced four black-type performers headed by the G2 Prix du Muguet winner Plumatic (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and is also the second dam of the G1 Prix Saint-Alary-placed Solsticia (Ire) (Le Havre {Ire}). Another listed-placed half-sibling Dancequest (Ire) also by Dansili is the dam of last year's G1 Prix Royal Oak hero Double Major (Ire) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}), and another Secrete (Fr) (Cape Cross {Ire}) produced the G2 Prix de la Nonette winner Rumi (Fr) (Frankel {GB}).

Under the third dam Featherquest (GB) (Rainbow Quest) is an extensive list of notables including her sire son Groom Dancer, Pivotal's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains-winning sire Falco, the dual G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen-winning Japanese champion sprinter and miler Kinshasa No Kiseki (Aus) (Fuji Kiseki {Jpn}), the trio of Australian group 1 winners Nettoyer (Aus) (Sebring {Aus}), Absolutely (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}) and Abbey Marie (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}), as well as a past Royaumont winner in Legerete (Rahy). Balladeuse's unraced 2-year-old full-brother to Aventure is named Astropark (Ire).

Sunday, Chantilly, France
PRIX DE ROYAUMONT-G3, €80,000, Chantilly, 6-2, 3yo, f, 12fT, 2:31.27, hy.
1–AVENTURE (IRE), 126, f, 3, by Sea The Stars (Ire)
      1st Dam: Balladeuse (Fr) (GSW-Fr, $168,432), by Singspiel (Ire)
      2nd Dam: Featherquest (GB), by Rainbow Quest
      3rd Dam: Featherhill (Fr), by Lyphard
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. TDN Rising Star. O/B-Wertheimer et Frere (IRE); T-Christophe Ferland; J-Maxime Guyon. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 4-2-2-0, €92,000. *1/2 to Left Hand (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), G1SW-Fr, $695,171; & to Romanciere (Ire) (Dansili {GB}), G1SP-Fr, $135,553. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Vigatata (Fr), 126, f, 3, Sea The Moon (Ger)–Abys (Fr), by Montjeu (Ire). 1ST GROUP BLACK-TYPE. (€240,000 Ylg '22 ARQAUG). O-George Strawbridge; B-E Puerari, Herald Bloodstock Ltd & Ecurie du Parc Monceau (FR); T-Francois Rohaut. €16,000.
3–Mosaique (Fr), 126, f, 3, Dubawi (Ire)–The Juliet Rose (Fr), by Monsun (Ger). 1ST BLACK-TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK-TYPE. O/B-Wertheimer et Frere (IRE); T-Carlos Laffon-Parias. €12,000.
Margins: 7, SNK, 1 1/4. Odds: 1.60, 4.10, 16.00.
Also Ran: Strassia (Fr), Sheema's Rose (Fr), Havrianka (Fr), Siyandra (Ire), Amor A Mani (Fr), Que Bella (Fr). Scratched: Earendel (Ire). Video, sponsored by FanDuel TV.