By Tom Frary
Baron Edouard De Rothschild's Mqse De Sevigne (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}–Penne {Fr}, by Sevres Rose {Ire}) had uninspiring credentials heading into the race carrying her owner-breeder's family name at Deauville on Sunday, but what she lacked in credible form was made up for by the fact that she is under the care of Andre Fabre. Saddling a one-two in the first group 1 of the Deauville August festival for good measure as the French fillies came to the fore, the Chantilly maestro was bringing the half-sister to the G1 Grand Prix de Paris hero Meandre (Fr) (Slickly {Fr}) back to a mile for the first time since she was ninth in last year's G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches.
Despite the shortening up, Alexis Pouchin was intent on sitting chilly near the back throughout the early stages and letting it all unfold with the G1 Prix Jean Prat runner-up Sauterne (Fr) (Kingman {GB}) in charge on the front end. Launched on the wing as the stable's Life In Motion (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) emerged on the other side approaching the final furlong, it was the supplemented Meautry homebred who edged ahead of that TDN Rising Star from the 100-metre marker to prevail by a short neck with their habitually gallant compatriot Sauterne half a length away in third. Returned at 12-1 and 16-1 respectively with their unlikely profiles, Fabre's fillies underlined once again how relevant their trainer remains as one of the world's finest target trainers.
Edouard De Rothschild, who had won this with the Fabre-trained Esoterique (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) in 2014, revealed that he had provided a tweak to the trainer's idea. “When Nashwa won the Falmouth, Andre Fabre called me and said we have to do the same and run Mqse de Sevigne over a mile,” he explained. “He said she will run at the end of August in the Prix Quincey and I said 'no, we will supplement her for the Prix Rothschild'. Not because of the name of the race, but she had already won a group three and I thought that if he believes that the straight mile here would suit her then we might as well try a group one against her own sex.”
Mqse De Sevigne wins the Group 1 Prix Rothschild at @fgdeauville with leading British hopes Remarquee and Rogue Millennium only fourth and fifth… pic.twitter.com/4pG4Ygp0tk
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) July 30, 2023
“The result is amazing, a real dream, to win this race three miles away from where she was born, from an old family developed by my father,” the renowned owner-breeder added. “I feel we have to give a chance to young talented French jockeys and Alexis Pouchin gave her a brilliant ride. I think it is tremendously wonderful for the stud and all the team that work very hard. We will now enjoy the moment and the time will come soon enough to decide when and where she will run again.”
Pouchin, who was celebrating a breakthrough success at this level, added, “I am over the moon, I don't have the words to describe what it is to win a first group one. I have many friends and family here and it is a real special moment. Monsieur Fabre had asked me not to force the pace, as the filly was stepping down somewhat in trip. When I asked her to pick up, she responded perfectly.”
Starting her career in ideal fashion with two wins from her first three starts including ParisLongchamp's nine-furlong G3 Prix Vanteaux, Mqse De Sevigne was 7-1 for the Pouliches and was beaten less than four lengths before moving back up in trip. Runner-up to Trevaunance (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) in both the G3 Prix de Psyche and G2 Prix de la Nonette at this meeting, she performed better than her seventh-place finish suggested in the G1 Prix de l'Opera back in the capital on Arc day before being put away for a 4-year-old campaign.
By the time she had suffered her third consecutive defeat this term, Mqse De Sevigne was taking on the look of a perpetual bridesmaid and while her seconds in ParisLongchamp's G3 Prix Allez France and Saint-Cloud's G2 Prix Corrida were easier to forgive than her reversal in the 10 1/2-furlong Prix de la Pepiniere at Chantilly earlier this month, Fabre's nagging feeling meant a change of course was in order. Reticent as ever in the aftermath, the trainer was enjoying a personal landmark with this sixth Prix Rothschild taking him past John Cunnington Sr, Francois Mathet, David Smaga and Freddy Head for the outright record. Along with the winner, Life In Motion who became a TDN Rising Star back in October 2021 was also dropping back from middle distances as she finally delivered on her early promise.
Pedigree Notes
Mqse De Sevigne, who becomes the 10th group 1 winner for her sire, is the ninth foal out of the dual listed-placed Penne whose best progeny is the aforementioned Meandre who added the G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin and G1 Preis von Europa to his Grand Prix de Paris victory. Also responsible for the listed-placed Dogma (Fr) (Mount Nelson {GB}), she is kin to the dual listed winner Gris Tendre (Fr) by Meandre's sire Slickly. This is the dam line of 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
PRIX ROTHSCHILD-G1, €300,000, Deauville, 7-30, 3yo/up, f/m, 8fT, 1:35.50, sf.
1–MQSE DE SEVIGNE (IRE), 130, 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)
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Baron Edouard de Rothschild; B-SC Ecurie de Meautry (IRE); T-Andre Fabre; J-Alexis Pouchin. €171,420. Lifetime Record: 11-3-5-1, €327,770. *1/2 to Meandre (Fr) (Slickly {Fr}), Champion Stayer-Cze, MG1SW-Fr & Ger, $1,692,990. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Life In Motion (Ire), 130, f, 4, Sea The Stars (Ire)–Wavering (Ire), by Refuse To Bend (Ire). 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. TDN Rising Star. O-Godolphin SNC; B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Andre Fabre. €68,580.
3–Sauterne (Fr), 122, f, 3, Kingman (GB)–Salicorne, by Aragorn (Ire). (€130,000 RNA Ylg '21 ARQAUG; £1,200,000 RNA HRA '23 GOFLON). O/B-Jean-Pierre-Joseph Dubois (FR); T-Patrice Cottier. €34,290.
Margins: SNK, HF, 3. Odds: 11.70, 16.00, 4.00.
Also Ran: Remarquee (GB), Rogue Millennium (Ire), Sounds Of Heaven (GB), Grande Dame (GB), Kelina (Ire), Tairann (GB). Video, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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