By Sean Cronin
With suitable ground conditions scarce since Trueshan (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}) registered a career high in July's G1 Goodwood Cup, the long-awaited duel of the Cup Kings at last unfolded in the ParisLongchamp mud as he justified 8-5 favouritism and outpointed Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) for bragging rights in a stellar renewal of Saturday's G1 Qatar Prix du Cadran. Last term's G2 British Champions Long Distance Cup winner kept company with his 3-1 market rival and was off the pace in the pack for most of the 2 1/2-mile marathon. Taking closer order off the home turn as Stradivarius made a bold bid for home, Trueshan locked horns with the popular chestnut approaching the final quarter-mile and stretched clear once gaining the upper hand passing the furlong pole to hit the line with a 4 1/2-length advantage. The forward ridden Bubble Smart (GB) (Intello {Ger}) stayed on best of the remainder and finished a length further back in third.
“That was magical and I am sure horses like Trueshan are the reason why his rider gets up in the morning,” said trainer Alan King's assistant Dan Horsford. “We didn't really have any worries today although the main question was the distance. He adapts to all types of surfaces, even if has a real liking for soft ground, and he has really thrived since his arrival in France. I suppose Ascot's [G1] Gold Cup will be a possible target for him next year.”
Winning rider James Doyle, after collecting the middle leg of an afternoon treble, added, “Stradivarius has been an outstanding advertisement for British racing although he has more chinks in his armour than he did previously as we have seen in his last few races. I thought he was beatable and I was confident enough that we had his measure today. My horse loved the ground, he travelled very well during the race and he quickened up really well.”
Owner Bjorn Nielsen was gracious in defeat and reported, “We were beaten by a better horse on a very soft track, which isn't really his cup of tea. Stradivarius didn't show the required turn of foot which he has done in the past. However, he remains a great horse and we love him to bits.”
Bubble Smart's trainer Mikel Delzangles was delighted with the performance of Zak Bloodstock's 4-year-old filly and said, “She ran a blinder and she's as brave as they come. The filly has comparatively few miles on the clock and she may perhaps stay in training next year.”
Trueshan is the leading performer and sole stakes winner for dual scorer Shao Line (Fr) (General Holme), who has five winners to her credit and is a granddaughter of Marie de Lempire (Fr) (Faristan {GB}), herself the dam of the stakes-winning Dom Lurcy (Dom Racine {Fr}). Marie de Lempire is kin to the stakes-winning Marie d'Ivors (Fr) (Rheffic {Fr}) and the mare Herila (Fr) (Bold Lad), who in turn is the second dam of G1 Derby Italiano hero Houmayoun Fr) (Shernazar {Ire}) and three-time stakes victress Hanzala (Akarad {Fr}), with this being the tail line of G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Altissima (Klairon {Fr}).
Saturday, ParisLongchamp, France
QATAR PRIX DU CADRAN-G1, €300,000, ParisLongchamp, 10-2, 4yo/up, 20fT, 4:28.10, vsf.
1–TRUESHAN (FR), 128, g, 5, by Planteur (Ire)
1st Dam: Shao Line (Fr), by General Holme
2nd Dam: Marie d'Altoria, by Roi de Rome
3rd Dam: Marie de Lempire (Fr), by Faristan (GB)
(€8,000 Ylg '17 OSLATE; 31,000gns 2yo '18 TATHIT). O-Singula Partnership; B-Didier Blot (FR); T-Alan King; J-James Doyle. €171,420. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng, 15-9-2-0, €900,649. Werk Nick Rating: D+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Stradivarius (Ire), 128, h, 7, Sea the Stars (Ire)–Private Life (Fr), by Bering (GB). (330,000gns RNA Ylg '15 TATOCT). O/B-Bjorn Nielsen (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden. €68,580.
3–Bubble Smart (GB), 125, f, 4, Intello (Ger)–Bubble Back (Fr), by Grand Lodge. O-Zak Bloodstock; B-Suc. Zakaria Hakam (GB); T-Mikel Delzangles. €34,290.
Margins: 4HF, 1, 2. Odds: 1.60, 3.00, 16.00.
Also Ran: Skazino (Fr), Princess Zoe (Ger), Call the Wind (GB), Max La Fripouille (Fr), Emperor of the Sun (Ire), Alkuin (Ire), Karlstad (Fr), Memphis (Ger), Stratum (GB), Cacophonous (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.
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