By Sean Cronin
Breaking the juvenile track record at Chantilly on Sunday, Christopher Head trainee Ramatuelle (Justify–Raven's Lady {GB}, by Raven's Pass) justified 6-4 favouritism in the G3 Prix du Bois Longines by dominating her nine rivals with a spectacular display in the six-furlong contest.
The eventual winner was positioned in a handy second as market rival Zorken (Fr) (Goken {Fr}) set the tone up front. Inching into second at halfway, she quickened to the fore entering the final furlong and powered clear in highly impressive fashion to easily outclass her rivals by five lengths and more. Zorken kept on well to finish second, 1 3/4 lengths ahead of 'TDN Rising Star' Les Pavots (Ire) (No Nay Never) in third. Ramatuelle became sire Justify's fifth 'TDN Rising Star' when delivering a taking display in her Apr. 11 unveiling over five furlongs at this venue, but was narrowly denied by fellow 'TDN Rising Star' Beauvatier (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) when returning in a May 28 six-furlong conditions heat at Saint-Cloud in her only other start. Ramatuelle's time of 1:08.05 eclipsed the prior best of 1:08.31 set by Blackbeard (Ire) (No Nay Never) in last year's G2 Prix Robert Papin.
“We have some great partners, we're creating some great relationships and we feel very blessed,” commented part-owner and NBA All-Star Tony Parker. “We had a great experience with [G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner] Mangoustine last year and here we are winning another big race. It's unbelievable. It's all you can ask, to have a horse that allows you to dream, and we are really excited after this win. There was no panic and we weren't disheartened by her defeat last time and, hopefully, she recuperates well and is ready to go for her next target. [Trainer] Christopher [Head] told me in February her programme will include the [G2] Prix Robert Papin and the [G1] Prix Morny and maybe we can now go for those big races.” Head added, “The plan is going exactly as we wished, so we will do our best to take her to the Papin now.”
Pedigree Notes
Ramatuelle, full to a weanling colt and half to a yearling filly by Uncle Mo, is the first of three foals produced by G2 Goldene Peitsche and G3 Summer S. victrix Raven's Lady (GB) (Raven's Pass), herself out of an unraced half to G1 Prix d'Ispahan-winning sire Best Of The Bests (Ire) (Machiavellian), G2 Dante S. third Dunhill Star (Ire) (Danehill) and the dam of MGSW G1 Melbourne Cup runner-up Prince Of Arran (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}). The February-foaled chestnut's third dam, G3 Fred Darling S. winner Sueboog (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}), is a half-sister to the dam of GSW G1 Grand Prix de Paris and G1 Prix Jean Prat runner-up Shaanmer (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}) and stakes-winning GI Garden City Breeders' Cup H. second Nordican Inch (GB) (Inchinor {GB}).
Sunday, Chantilly, France
PRIX DU BOIS LONGINES – FONDS EUROPEEN DE L'ELEVAGE-G3, €80,000, Chantilly, 6-18, 2yo, 6fT, 1:08.05 (NTR), g/s.
1–RAMATUELLE, 122, f, 2, by Justify
1st Dam: Raven's Lady (GB) (GSW-Eng & Ger, $238,499), by Raven's Pass
2nd Dam: Pivotal Lady (GB), by Pivotal (GB)
3rd Dam: Sueboog (Ire), by Darshaan (GB)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€100,000 Ylg '22 ARQAUG). O-Infinity Nine Horses, Arthur Hoyeau, Ecurie des Monceaux, Hollymount Stud France SC, Mme Ilse Smits & Clement Tropres; B-Yeguada Centurion SLU (KY); T-Christopher Head; J-Aurelien Lemaitre. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, €81,800. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Zorken (Fr), 126, c, 2, Goken (Fr)–Zorra Chope (Fr). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€6,500 Wlg '21 ARQDEC; €3,500 Ylg '22 ARQOCT). O-Ecurie Jean-Louis Bouchard & Bruno de Montzey; B-Werner Neumann (FR); T-Bruno de Montzey. €16,000.
3–Les Pavots (Ire), 122, f, 2, No Nay Never–Sparrow (Ire), by Oasis Dream (GB). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Craig Bernick & Haras d'Etreham; B-Coolmore Stud (IRE); T-Francis-Henri Graffard. €12,000.
Margins: 5, 1 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 1.50, 2.80, 4.80.
Also Ran: Balon D'Or (GB), Antifona (Fr), Dubai Hills (GB), Dance Sioux (Ire), Gotta Skedaddle (Ire), Ziggy's Dream (Ire), Royal Mylea (Ire). Video, sponsored by TVG.
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