By Sean Cronin
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 the final furlong and was ridden out to defeat Heybetli (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) and Revolutionnaire (Fr) (Penny's Picnic {Ire}) by 3/4-of-a-length and a head.
“Wootton Bassett is quite the stallion and what a stallion he is,” expressed Head. “I really like this horse, I love his attitude and that was perfect today. He behaves really well in his races and it it bodes well for his next race, which will be the [G1] Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. With that in mind, it was the plan not to have a hard race today and [jockey] Aurelien [Lemaitre] did a very good job. He goes on soft ground, he's truly a miler and he will be in all the mile races next season.”
Rochette (Gr3, 2ans, 1400m) à #parislongchamp
Houquetot (Wootton Bassett) renoue avec le succès en costaud. Après lutte, Heybetli (Showcasing) prend la deuxième place pic.twitter.com/Iie8p4b5R4
— France Galop (@francegalop) September 8, 2024
Pedigree Notes
Houquetot is the second of four foals and lone performer out of G3 Athasi Stakes victrix Happen (War Front), herself a half-sister to dual Group-winning G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup second Somehow (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), G2 Prix Kergorlay victor Alex My Boy (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) and G3 Killavullan Stakes runner-up Sierra Blanca (Ire) (No Nay Never). The March-foaled dark bay's second dam is G1 Oaks, G1 Irish Oaks and G1 Yorkshire Oaks heroine Alexandrova (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), whose descendants also include G1 Preis von Europa winner Aspetar (Fr) (Al Kazeem {GB}). Houquetot is full to a yearling colt and a weanling colt.
Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
PRIX LA ROCHETTE-G3, €80,000, ParisLongchamp, 9-8, 2yo, 7fT, 1:21.94, sf.
1–HOUQUETOT (IRE), 126, c, 2, by Wootton Bassett (GB)
1st Dam: Happen (GSW-Ire & SP-US, $232,298), by War Front
2nd Dam: Alexandrova (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
3rd Dam: Shouk (GB), by Shirley Heights (GB)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€280,000 Ylg '23 ARQAUG). O-Jean-Claude Seroul, Al Shaqab Racing & Gerard Augustin-Normand; B-Coolmore Stud (IRE); T-Christopher Head; J-Aurelien Lemaitre. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0, €88,000. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Heybetli (Ire), 126, c, 2, Showcasing (GB)–Al Mayhola (Fr), by Sea The Stars (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€27,000 Ylg '23 ARQOCT). O-Fedai Kahraman; B-Al Shaqab Racing (IRE); T-Alicja Karkosa. €16,000.
3–Revolutionnaire (Fr), 126, c, 2, Penny's Picnic (Ire)–Rive Neuve (Fr), by Enrique (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€25,000 Ylg '23 ARQAUG). O-Gilles Le Baron, Ecurie Mathieu Offenstadt, Haras du Hoguenet, Stamford Bloodstock, Comte Guillaume de Saint-Seine & Philip Prevost Baratte; B-Haras du Hoguenet, Gilles Le Baron, Ecurie Vaporetto & Comte Guillaume de Saint-Seine (FR); T-Francis-Henri Graffard. €12,000.
Margins: 3/4, HD, SNK. Odds: 1.10, 7.20, 6.80.
Also Ran: Sir Tommy Cen (Ire), Tiego The First (Fr), Midnight Strike (Ire), Silius (Ire), Libyan Pharoah (Fr).
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