Christopher Head

Ramatuelle and Opera Singer Both Retired and Likely to Visit Wootton Bassett

'TDN Rising Star' Ramatuelle (Justify) is set to retire to the paddocks after being bought by Coolmore for $5.1 million at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale on Monday. Trained by Christopher Head for owners including NBA Hall of Famer Tony Parker, Ramatuelle won four of her nine career starts and was last seen making the breakthrough at the top level with an emphatic victory in the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp, before being withdrawn from Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Del Mar on veterinary advice. The three-year-old was one...

[ Read More ]
M.V. Magnier Goes to $5.1M for Ramatuelle

French Group 1 winner Ramatuelle (Justify) sold late in the Fasig-Tipton November sale Monday for $5.1 million to Coolmore's M.V. Magnier. Consigned by Bedouin Bloodstock as Hip 310, the 3-year-old filly was trained by Christopher Head for a large partnership and was a controversial scratch from Saturday's Breeders' Cup Mile after a PET scan showed bone remodeling. Named a 'TDN Rising Star' at two, Ramatuelle is out of GSW Raven's Lady (GB) (Raven's Pass).

[ Read More ]
Ramatuelle Withdrawn from Breeders' Cup Mile on Vet's Advice

Leading European contender Ramatuelle (Justify) has been withdrawn from Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Mile on veterinary advice. Trained by Christopher Head for owners including NBA Hall of Famer Tony Parker, Ramatuelle was last seen making the breakthrough at the top level with an emphatic victory in the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp, impressing with her turn of foot as she powered clear in the closing stages to win by three lengths. Connections had been confident of a bold bid at Del Mar after being handed an inside draw but...

[ Read More ]
Declarations for Saint-Cloud's Group 1 Juvenile Contests Revealed, Just 10 Confirmed Runners Across Both

With an aggregate 104 engaged at the beginning of the week, contestants for Sunday's two juvenile Group 1 contests at Saint-Cloud have been whittled down to 10 after declarations were confirmed Friday morning. The one-mile G1 Criterium International has six declared for a mouthwatering renewal which features 'TDN Rising Stars' Maranoa Charlie (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), the lone French-trained runner remaining, and supplementary entry Twain (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}). The latter, who makes a swift return to action after debuting in style at Leopardstown last Saturday, is set to be...

[ Read More ]
G1SW And 'TDN Rising Star' Ramatuelle Supplemented To Fasig-Tipton November Sale

Ramatuelle (Justify--Raven's Lady {GB}, by Raven's Pass), a 'TDN Rising Star' and recent winner of the G1 Prix de la Foret Stakes at ParisLongchamp, headlines the latest group of supplemental entries to Fasig-Tipton's November Sale which will take place on Monday, Nov. 4 beginning at 2 p.m. ET in Lexington, Kentucky, the auction company said in a release early Friday morning. The 3-year-old daughter of the Triple Crown winner and top sire will be offered as hip 310, and is consigned as a racing/broodmare prospect by Bedouin Bloodstock, agent. Winner...

[ Read More ]
Nurlan Bizakov's Ramadan Bounces Back to Form in the Daniel Wildenstein

Nurlan Bizakov's G3 Prix de Fontainebleau and G3 Prix Daphnis victor Ramadan (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}--Raushan {Ire}, by Dalakhani {Ire}), who trailed all six rivals home in last month's G1 Prix du Moulin, bounced back to form in style with a determined win in Saturday's G2 Qatar Prix Daniel Wildenstein at ParisLongchamp. The 68-5 chance was positioned within range of the leaders in fourth through halfway in this one-mile test. Making headway once into the home straight, he inched ahead of Alcantor (Fr) (New Bay {GB}) with 300 metres remaining...

[ Read More ]
TDN Rising Star Maranoa Charlie Saunters to Thomas Bryon Success at Saint-Cloud

Perfect through two eyecatching wins at Deauville in August and Chantilly last month, 'TDN Rising Star' Maranoa Charlie (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}--Koubalibre {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) continued his impressive rise with an untroubled pillar-to-post triumph in Friday's G3 Prix Thomas Bryon Jockey Club de Turquie at Saint-Cloud to retain his unbeaten record in style. The 1-5 favourite was swiftly into stride and soon established a clear lead. Tanking along in hand throughout, he was in another parish turning for home and required minimal encouragement in the straight to easily outclass...

[ Read More ]
Classic Heroine Blue Rose Cen Retired

Yeguada Centurion homebred Blue Rose Cen (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) has been retired from racing, Paris Turf reported on Friday morning. The 4-year-old daughter of multiple group winner Queen Blossom (Ire) (Jeremy) won a quartet of Group 1s, including the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and Prix de Diane. Trained through her first 12 starts by Christopher Head, the bay won four of her six appearances at two en route to being named the top filly of her year in France. She landed the G3 Prix d'Aumale and G1 Prix Marcel Boussac...

[ Read More ]
Autumn Targets Confirmed for Star Fillies Ramatuelle and Tamfana

Ramatuelle (Justify) is reportedly on course to return to action in next month's G1 Prix de la Foret, having been off the track since finishing third in the G1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. Trained by Christopher Head, Ramatuelle won the G2 Prix Robert Papin as a two-year-old and has since finished placed at the top level on three occasions. Runner-up to Vandeek (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) in last year's Prix Morny at Deauville, she preceded her Royal Ascot effort with another third-place finish in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket....

[ Read More ]
Wootton Bassett's Houquetot Takes Care of Business in Paris

Christopher Head trainee Houquetot (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}--Happen, by War Front) endured a first defeat in three career starts when runner-up in last month's G3 Prix Francois Boutin and bounced back with a game victory in Sunday's G3 Prix La Rochette at ParisLongchamp. The 11-10 favourite, previously successful in two seven-furlong heats at Compiegne, broke smartly and raced in a prominent second from flagfall in this fourth start at the specialist distance. Stoked up with a quarter-mile remaining, he joined long-time leader Sir Tommy Cen (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) entering...

[ Read More ]
Wootton Bassett's 220K Colt A New TDN Rising Star In The Arqana Series Des Poulains

Making an instant impact in Thursday's Arqana Series Des Poulains at Deauville, Peter Maher, Carl Fitzgerald and John Baxter's Maranoa Charlie (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}--Koubalibre {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) became his sire's ninth TDN Rising Star. Out of a half-sister to the G1 Cheveley Park Stakes heroine Tiggy Wiggy (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), the €220,000 Arqana Deauville August graduate soon had control on the front end under Aurelien Lemaitre. Sent into the clear passing the furlong pole, the Christopher Head-trained 23-10 favourite registered an impressive 3 1/2-length success from Mighty Boy...

[ Read More ]
Wootton Bassett Daughter of Curvy wins the Six Perfections

Two-for-two entering Deauville's seven-furlong G3 Prix Six Perfections on Sunday, the €110,000 Goffs Orby Book 1 graduate Angeal (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}--Curvy {GB}, by Galileo {Ire}) showed that she is not shy of a battle, emerging the other side with her perfect tally intact. Educated at Saint-Cloud over the past two months, the Christopher Head-trained daughter of Coolmore's GI E. P. Taylor Stakes heroine who races for Christophe Brun, Ecurie Normandy Spirit and Gerard Larrieu was settled in second from the outset by Aurelien Lemaitre. Getting to the front at the...

[ Read More ]
X

Never miss another story from the TDN

Click Here to sign up for a free subscription.