Shock In The Pouliches As The Wow Signal's Coeursamba Strikes

Entering Sunday's G1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Pouliches with plenty of black-type experience but without a win in that sphere, Abdullah bin Fahad Al Attiyah's Coeursamba (Fr) (The Wow Signal {Ire}) was just saving her best for the big time as Cristian Demuro launched her to overhaul Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) in a thriller. Prepping for this ParisLongchamp Classic with a third placing in a course-and-distance conditions event Apr. 22, the bay whose best 2-year-old form had involved third placings in the G3 Prix Six Perfections at Deauville in August and in the G3 Prix d'Aumale here the following month had the perfect trip throughout covered up halfway down the pack against the fence. Angled out as the G1 1000 Guineas winner was thrust to the fore, the 37-1 shot surged by that 17-10 favourite 100 metres from the line and on to a 1 1/4-length success, with the Ballydoyle runner a short neck ahead of an even bigger longshot Kennella (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) in third. The winner, who was providing Jean-Claude Rouget with a fifth renewal, had to survive an inquiry into possible interference but the result was left to stand. “She had raced a lot last year and spent quite a long time on the farm this winter, so I didn't want to rush her back too early,” her trainer explained. “She raced with the instructions to the jockey not to give her a hard race last time and since then had come on a lot. You never know in these Classics, but I thought she was in great form. She got a great trip on the inside and saved ground, then quickened twice like all the good horses do.”

French dominance of this Classic remains very healthy, with this win being a remarkable 18th from the last 19 for the domestic fillies. Coeursamba had been out early last term, finishing third on her introduction over six furlongs at Lyon Parilly in May before beating the subsequent G3 Prix de Cabourg runner-up Jubilation (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and G3 Prix d'Arenberg scorer Kalahara (GB) (Frankel {GB}) over that trip at Saint-Cloud the following month. Third behind See the Rose (Ire) (Kendargent {Fr}) in the Six Perfections upped to seven and to King's Harlequin (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) trying this trip in the Prix d'Aumale, she was fifth in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac here the day after being sold for €400,000 at the Arqana Arc Sale. Signing off last term with a fourth to Lullaby Moon (GB) (Belardo {Ire}) reverting to seven for the G3 Prix Miesque at Chantilly, she still looked a fair way off Classic-winning standard when third to the subsequent Listed Prix des Lilas winner Tahlie (Fr) (Rio de la Plata) here last time.

When asked by the interviewer in the immediate aftermath what he believed had made the difference from the Prix du Louvre to this Classic, Cristian Demuro simply replied, “I think Jean-Claude Rouget made the difference!” The trainer in question was intent on sticking to a mile with the winner, with the 10 1/2-furlong G1 Prix de Diane immediately ruled out of the equation. “She will definitely not run in the Diane, as she won't stay,” he said. “She is not entered in the [G1] Coronation Stakes [at Royal Ascot June 18] with all the travel restrictions and Covid-19. I didn't enter any horse. There is the [G1] Prix Rothschild, or she can run in the [G1] Prix Jean Prat against the colts, or we could supplement for the Coronation.”

The 96-1 shot Kennella's trainer Nicolas Caullery was sadding his first runner at group 1 level and said of the third, “We came hoping for a place and I would have been very happy to take third before the off. This was her first time running over 1600 metres, but she is such a valiant, brave and kind filly. She came into the race in great condition; she worked with [the Listed Prix Maurice Caillault winner and G3 Prix de Guiche third] Fort Payne and she is just behind him. In the [G3 Prix] Imprudence, she was a bit unlucky in running but she finished with a magnificent action–in another stride she was third and with a bit more luck, not far from the winner. It's not necessarily a bad thing to have a quiet prep rather than a hard race. I am delighted for her connections, it's a story of great friendship. They have been very loyal and I also have her 2-year-old sister in training. She's a really nice filly.”

Bought for €24,000 as a foal at the Arqana Breeding Stock Sale, Coeursamba was snapped up by Rouget for €40,000 at the v.2 Yearlings Sale before Jean-Louis Tepper let her go at the Arc Sale. Her dam Marechale (Fr) (Anabaa), who has also produced the Listed Prix Zarkava-placed Lady Sidney (Fr) (Mr. Sidney), is a full-sister to the triple listed-winning and G2 Prix du Muguet third Maxwell (Fr) and granddaughter of Mother of Pearl (Fr) (Sir Gaylord) who ran second in the G3 Prix de la Grotte. This is the dam line of the G1 Prix de Diane-winning champion Fine Pearl (Fr) (Fine Top {Fr}). Marechale's as-yet unnamed 2-year-old colt is by Olympic Glory (Ire).

Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
EMIRATES POULE D'ESSAI DES POULICHES-G1, €500,000, ParisLongchamp, 5-16, 3yo, f, 8fT, 1:39.28, vsf.
1–COEURSAMBA (FR), 126, f, 3, by The Wow Signal (Ire)
1st Dam: Marechale (Fr), by Anabaa
2nd Dam: Malaisie, by Bering (GB)
3rd Dam: Mother of Pearl (Fr), by Sir Gaylord
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (€24,000 Wlg '18 ARQDEC; €40,000 Ylg '19 ARAUG; €400,000 HRA '20 ARQARC). O-Abdullah bin Fahad Al-Attiyah; B-Mlle Julie Mestrallet, Mme Francine Mestrallet & Mme Agathe Cousin Mestrallet (FR); T-Jean-Claude Rouget; J-Cristian Demuro. €285,700. Lifetime Record: 8-2-0-4, €339,636. *1/2 to Lady Sidney (Fr) (Mr. Sidney), SP-Fr, $346,223. Werk Nick Rating: C. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Mother Earth (Ire), 126, f, 3, Zoffany (Ire)–Many Colours (GB), by Green Desert. (€150,000 Ylg '19 GOFOR). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Grenane House Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €114,300.
3–Kennella (Fr), 126, f, 3, Kendargent (Fr)–Ella Diva (Fr), by Heliostatic (Ire). O-Derek Ronald Lodge; B-Gaec Campos (FR); T-Nicolas Caullery. €57,150.
Margins: 1 1/4, SNK, HD. Odds: 37.50, 1.70, 96.00.
Also Ran: Sweet Lady (Fr), See the Rose (Ire), Philomene (Ire), Stardevote (Ire), Rougir (Fr), King's Harlequin (Ire), Silvestri (Fr), Lullaby Moon (GB), Tiger Tanaka (Ire), Reina Madre (Ire). Scratched: Miss Amulet (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.