By Tom Frary
Reinvigorated by her career-best win in the G1 Prix Rothschild at the start of this August Festival, Baron Edouard De Rothschild's Mqse De Sevigne (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}–Penne {Fr}, by Sevres Rose {Ire}) produced a dramatic late surge to deny Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) for a notable Deauville double in Sunday's G1 Sumbe Prix Jean Romanet. Switched off in last by Alexis Pouchin, the Andre Fabre-trained 7-2 second favourite handed the 6-5 market-leader first run in early straight but had the material to get to her and have her nose in front in the shade of the post. There was a two-length margin back to TDN Rising Star Above The Curve (American Pharoah) in third as the cream rose to the top in the 10-furlong feature.
🏆 Le grand exploit de Mqse de Sévigné !
La championne d'André Fabre, montée par @pouchinalexis, signe un doublé inédit Prix Rothschild-@sumbe_fr Prix Jean Romanet !
🔥 Elle est la jument du Meeting de Deauville Barrière 2023 🔥 pic.twitter.com/uOFULIE8Ho
— Equidia (@equidia) August 20, 2023
Edouard de Rothschild said, “It is a great honour and pride to be associated with such a filly. She is very well-bred from a family that gets better and better with age, has a beautiful conformation and a lovely temperament. I am delighted for all the staff working hard at Meautry. We've had a great meeting, but you have to remain humble and expect that things will not go too bad rather than expecting too much.” Andre Fabre has a trip to his beloved Newmarket in mind now. “I think the Sun Chariot Stakes could be the right race for her next time,” he added.
While Mqse De Sevigne had taken the G3 Prix Vanteaux last spring, she then seemed to have reached a plateau with seconds to Trevaunance (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) in both the G3 Prix de Psyche and G2 Prix de la Nonette and the early signs this term were that she was stuck in a groove with more seconds in ParisLongchamp's G3 Prix Allez France, Saint-Cloud's G2 Prix Corrida and the Listed Prix de la Pepiniere at Chantilly. While all the evidence suggested she had reached a ceiling, Fabre continued to believe and duly relit her fire dropping the half-sister to the G1 Grand Prix de Paris hero Meandre (Fr) (Slickly {Fr}) back to a mile for the Rothschild.
This represented another step forward, with Trevaunance setting an honest tempo under Shane Foley and creating the perfect scenario for the hold-up merchants biding their time. While Via Sistina put in a seemingly race-winning penultimate split of 11.10, Mqse De Sevigne trumped that with a stunning 10.99 to cut back the advantage and while their final furlong sectional were virtually identical, it was the Fabre runner who had produced the most potent closing effort.
George Boughey is keen to return to France with Via Sistina. “She's run a blinder again against a very good filly, but it's not taken much out of her and she possibly got a bit lonely in front,” he said. “We'll probably come back for the Opera. That looks the right race for her and she goes on most ground. That will be her last race.”
Pedigree Notes
Mqse De Sevigne's dual listed-placed dam Penne, whose aforementioned Meandre also took the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin and G1 Preis von Europa, is also responsible for the listed-placed Dogma (Fr) (Mount Nelson {GB}). Kin to the dual listed winner Gris Tendre (Fr) by Meandre's sire Slickly, she descends from the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and Prix de Diane-winning champion Apollonia (Fr) (Djebel {Fr}). Penne's as-yet unraced 3-year-old filly by Saxon Warrior (Jpn) is named Une Fausse Venus (Ire), while she also has the 2-year-old colt Mr L'Apothicaire (Fr) (Kodiac {GB}).
Sunday, Deauville, France
SUMBE PRIX JEAN ROMANET-G1, €250,000, Deauville, 8-20, 4yo/up, f/m, 10fT, 2:06.77, vsf.
1–MQSE DE SEVIGNE (IRE), 126, f, 4, by Siyouni (Fr)
1st Dam: Penne (Fr) (MSP-Fr), by Sevres Rose (Ire)
2nd Dam: Une Pensee (Fr), by Kenmare (Fr)
3rd Dam: Cleophis (Fr), by Crepello (GB)
O-Baron Edouard de Rothschild; B-Ecurie de Meautry (IRE); T-Andre Fabre; J-Alexis Pouchin. €142,850. Lifetime Record: 12-4-5-1, €470,620. *1/2 to Meandre (Fr) (Slickly {Fr}), MG1SW-Fr & Ger, $1,692,990; and Dogma (Fr) (Mount Nelson {GB}), SP-Eng. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Via Sistina (Ire), 126, m, 5, Fastnet Rock (Aus)–Nigh (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). (5,000gns Ylg '19 TADEYG). O-Mrs Rebecca Hillen; B-Laundry Cottage Stud Farm (IRE); T-George Boughey. €57,150.
3–Above The Curve, 126, f, 4, American Pharoah–Fabulous (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). 'TDN Rising Star'. O-Mrs J Magnier, M Tabor, D Smith & Westerberg; B-Orpendale, Chelston & Wynatt (KY); T-Joseph O'Brien. €28,575.
Margins: NO, 2, 2. Odds: 3.70, 1.20, 3.50.
Also Ran: Trevaunance (Ire), Darkaniya (Fr), One For Bobby (Ire), Valpolicella (Ger), Plesant Jane (Fr). Video, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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