David Menuisier

David Menuisier, fresh off the Group 1 victory of Sunway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}) in this week's Criterium International, remains on the crest of a wave and, having combined with Marie Velon to snag the Chantilly undercard's Listed Prix Isonomy earlier on Friday, legged up the rider once more to complete an afternoon black-type double with Tamfana (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}--Tres Magnifique {Fr}, by Zoffany {Ire}) in the G3 Prix Miesque. The March-foaled bay hit the board going an extended seven furlongs at Ffos Las in her Sept. 14 debut and...

Maintaining the overseas stranglehold on the G1 Criterium International, Guy Pariente, Thomas Lines and Qatar Racing's Sunway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}--Kensea {Fr}, by Kendargent {Fr}) struck for the David Menuisier stable at Saint-Cloud on Sunday. Putting the pressure on the leader Navy Seal (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) soon after the start, the 4-1 shot bagged the stand's-side fence after the home turn and used that to his advantage as the 4-5 favourite Alcantor (Fr) (New Bay {GB}) loomed on his outside. Engaged in battle with that rival approaching the final furlong, the...

Eric Clapton has already inadvertently provided owner Chris Wright and trainer David Menuisier with one Group 1-winning filly in the form of Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) and now it's up to The Eagles.  Former record company boss Wright has a long history of naming his horses after song titles, and when it came to the half-sister to the multiple group winner, the selection of Heartache Tonight (Fr) (Recorder {GB}) seemed fitting. There may well have been a little heartache involved, too, as at the time she was signed...

  David Menuisier is not a man to concentrate on the past. The stable has been in the news over the fact that Phillipa Cooper of Normandie Stud decided to move stable star Lionel (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) to John and Thady Gosden after his poor performance in the G1 Irish Derby.    However, while Menuisier has had his say on the high-profile split in this week's Q&A, he explained that he has closed the chapter on the situation and is keen to move on.    There are few...

David Menuisier has provided an upbeat bulletin on G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby hope Lionel (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) after the colt delighted the trainer in a recent racecourse gallop at Kempton. A winner of the Listed Cocked Hat S. when last seen, Lionel is a general 10-1 chance for the Curragh Classic and is reported to be in rude health by his trainer. Menuisier said, "All is in place for Saturday-so far so good. He keeps on developing and [is] getting stronger and stronger. He did a...

Sir Bob Parker (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) will not travel to Epsom to contest the G1 Cazoo Derby on Saturday week as he has been injured, according to trainer David Menuisier. The Michael Watt-owned colt won at second asking at Chantilly in April and was third in the G2 Prix Greffulhe to Onesto (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) on May 8. "Sad to report our Derby hope Sir Bob Parker has sustained an injury today [Saturday] which will see him out of action for a little while," Menuisier tweeted on Saturday. "So close,...

Chris Wright's dual Group 1 winner Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) will visit champion sire Frankel (GB) for her first covering this year, trainer David Menuisier reported on Twitter on Monday. The 5-year-old mare has joined Wright's broodmare band at his Stratford Place Stud in the Cotswolds. A winner at two, Wonderful Tonight rose through the ranks at three, winning the G3 Prix Minerve in August of 2020 before winding up the season with a Group 1 double in the Prix de Royallieu and the G1 British Champions Fillies...

Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), whose six victories included wins in last year's G1 Prix de Royallieu and G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares S. and this year's G2 Hardwicke S. and G2 Lillie Langtry S., has been retired after suffering a condylar fracture of a fetlock on Friday morning. Christopher Wright's 4-year-old filly had been an intended runner in Sunday's G2 Prix Foy at ParisLongchamp as a stepping stone toward the Oct. 3 G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, trainer David Menuisier's goal since her Royallieu win. "She...

Former French champion jockey Olivier Peslier will ride multiple Group 1 winner Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) in the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in October, her trainer David Menuisier announced on Tuesday. The regular rider of the bay is William Buick, who will most likely be aboard one of Godolphin's duo of Classic winners Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) or Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in the ParisLongchamp cornerstone. "I think he is one of the best in the business," said Menuisier of the veteran Frenchman. "He...

After the rain missed Saturday's fast-ground G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S., Goodwood had an abundance of it in the interim to ensure that things fell in the favour of the re-routed Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) ahead of Saturday's G2 Qatar Lillie Langtry S. Too keen early tracking the leader Makawee (Ire) (Farhh {GB}) on the soft going she needs, Christopher Wright's G1 Prix de Royallieu, G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. and G2 Hardwicke S. heroine was eventually allowed to stride to the...

   With Goodwood Saturday centred around the Stewards Cup for the sprinters, the G2 Qatar Lillie Langtry S. is the sole black-type contest on the closing card but it features one of Europe's best in Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}). Christopher Wright's G1 Prix de Royallieu, G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. and G2 Hardwicke S. heroine was forced to miss last Saturday's G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. due to the fast surface and despite the ground drying out all the time here,  she...

Christopher Wright's Group 1 winner Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), who won the G2 Hardwicke S. last out at Royal Ascot, is targeting the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot on July 24. Scratched out of this past Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse, she defeated Sunday's G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud hero Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) in the Hardwicke. In 2020, the filly scored in the G1 Prix de Royallieu at ParisLongchamp on Arc Day, and doubled down at that level in the QIPCO British Champions Fillies...