Wertheimer et Frere

Winning ParisLongchamp's G1 Grand Prix de Paris for the 14th time, Andre Fabre was also ending a drought of 10 years since the last as the Wertheimers' Sosie (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}--Sosia {Ger}, by Shamardal) prevailed at ParisLongchamp on Saturday evening. Third in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club last time, the homebred became the latest to emerge to bestow extra gravity on that Chantilly Classic as he swept by his contemporaries up this hallowed straight. Ideally placed in fourth early by Maxime Guyon, the 5-2 second favourite took...

Chantilly's G1 Prix de Diane programme opened with a bang when Alain and Gerard Wertheimer's homebred 2-year-old filly Polyvega (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}--Polydream {Ire}, by Oasis Dream {GB}) unleashed a debut performance of note to attain 'TDN Rising Star' status in Sunday's Prix de la Reine Blanche Longines Polyvega was a shade slow from the stands' side stall and raced in fourth after the initial strides of this debutantes' heat. Cruising forward on the bridle once past halfway, the 3-1 second choice was shaken up to seize control approaching...

Fourteen 3-year-old fillies will head to post for Sunday's €1,000,000 G1 Prix de Diane Longines after final declarations were made Thursday morning. David Menuisier representative and likely favourite Tamfana (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}), who was last seen running fourth in Newmarket's G1 1000 Guineas, has been allocated stall four. His Highness The Aga Khan's G3 Prix de la Grotte winner Candala (Fr) (Frankel {GB}) is towards the outside in 12 while Godolphin's Andre Fabre trainee Rock'n Swing (GB) (Camelot {GB}) was drawn next door in 13. Godolphin is double-handed with...

On the 15th anniversary of the passing of Vincent O'Brien, his successor at Ballydoyle, Aidan O'Brien, extended his record at Epsom to 10 wins in the Derby. Vincent O'Brien's daughter and son-in-law Sue and John Magnier were not at Epsom on Saturday but several of the late, great trainer's grandchildren were in the winner's circle to greet City Of Troy. Their own family is now so strongly enmeshed with the man who shares their grandfather's surname but is no relation to the creator of Ballydoyle. Just like City Of Troy,...

Alain and Gerard Wertheimer's Junko (GB) (Intello {Ger}--Lady Zuzu, by Dynaformer), who collected two Group 1 contests last term, encountered heavy ground for the first time in 17 career starts and prevailed, just, in a pulsating renewal of Sunday's G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly. The 23-10 favourite tanked forward from an early position in rear to stalk the tempo in second after steady initial exchanges. Inching closer in the straight to challenge at the quarter-mile marker, he was ridden to poach a decisive advantage passing the furlong pole and came under...

Relishing the step up to a mile and a half for the first time, the Wertheimers' blueblooded TDN Rising Star Aventure (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}--Balladeuse {Fr}, by Singspiel {Ire}) turned Sunday's G3 Prix de Royaumont at Chantilly into a procession to book her ticket to the G1 Prix de Diane. Held up towards the rear early by Maxime Guyon, the Christophe Ferland-trained homebred took off when asked in the straight and after surging to the front 300 metres out hit the line with seven lengths to spare over Vigatata...

Relishing front-running tactics, the Wertheimers' TDN Rising Star Pensee Du Jour (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) returned to winning ways in Monday's G2 Prix Corrida at Saint-Cloud. Never in any serious danger once Maxime Guyon had committed, the Andre Fabre-trained 7-5 favourite who was runner-up in ParisLongchamp's G3 Prix Allez France last month gave generously to score by 1 1/2 lengths from Quantanamera (Ger) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). It was at this track that Prix Rose de Mai started to look like a genuine Classic prospect last Spring when winning the Listed...

Alain and Gerard Wertheimer's twice-raced Halfday (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}--Daytime {GB}, by Frankel {GB}), who followed up a debut second at Deauville with a breakthrough score at Chantilly in December, continued on the upgrade with a dominant display in Friday's G3 Prix Cleopatre at Saint-Cloud. The 27-5 chance broke in fourth, but was relegated to last of the six contenders after extended opening exchanges. Bustled along off the home turn, she made relentless headway in the straight to launch her challenge entering the final furlong and was ridden clear...

Demonstrating a precocity that belies his title, the Wertheimers' Atlast (Fr) (Farhh {GB}--Pitamore, by More Than Ready) mastered more experienced rivals in Sunday's G3 Prix la Force at ParisLongchamp to exit to the sound of Classic talk. Coming into the nine-furlong test with two juvenile runs at Chantilly to his name and one win over 7 1/2 furlongs on the Polytrack in October, the 11-2 shot was content to track the leaders under Maxime Guyon throughout the early stages. Sweeping to the front with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining, the Christophe...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Monday's Observations features a brother to Grade I winner Adhamo.   18.21 Toulouse, Mdn, €21,000, 3yo, c/g, 10 1/2fT QUANTUM (FR) (Intello {Ger}) is the sole debutante in the line-up, but is a significant runner as a full-brother to the 2022 GI United Nations S. hero Adhamo (Ire). Related...

Alain and Gerard Wertheimer's Junko (GB) (Intello {Ger}--Lady Zuzu, by Dynaformer), who hit the board in July's G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud earlier this term, encountered just three rivals in Sunday's 12-furlong G1 Grosser Allianz Preis von Bayern at Munich and made virtually all to claim a career high in Europe's final Group 1 contest of the season. Last term's G3 Prix Noailles and this term's G3 Prix de Reux victor, third in ParisLongchamp's Oct. 15 G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris when last seen, was uncomfortable with an early...

There was a chance beforehand that the Wertheimers' 3-year-old Double Major (Ire) (Daiwa Major {Jpn}--Dancequest {Ire}, by Dansili {GB}) had an edge over his elders in Sunday's G1 Prix Royal-Oak at ParisLongchamp, but few would have imagined how great his advantage was as he outclassed them with a vintage display. Always happy at the head of affairs under Maxime Guyon, the Christophe Ferland-trained homebred started to draw clear from the top of the straight and despite wandering around in the clear was so far in front inside the last 100...