14 October 2023
Photo scoopdyga.com
Saturday, October 14, 2023, Auteuil Racecourse (Paris) - Despite a somewhat disappointing seasonal return, as he suffered his first defeat after three victories while conceding weight in the Robert Lejeune 3yo Hurdle (L), Jigme (Motivator) took a resounding revenge the €174,000 Georges de Talhouët-Roy 3yo Hurdle (Gr2). The representative of Phoenix Eventing took the lead as he used to in his best days and kept going in the final straight, leaving his main rival, Léon du Berlais (Authorized), trailing by three lengths. The latter jumped to his right and a bit strongly. There is likely room for improvement in him.
Milan Tino (Milan), who started his career with a second-place finish in the Finot 3yo Beginners Hurdle (L) and was later sold to J P McManus, got his revenge by finishing third, less than a length behind but well ahead of the horse who had beaten him in the "Finot," AQPS Kingland (Cokoriko), who finished fourth here after attempting to challenge the eventual winner into the final straight.
The top two horses in the race are entire colts, and their next target is the €278,000 Cambacérès 3yo Hurdle (Gr1), on November 12th.
Jigme was bred by Yeguada Centurion. He was sold as a yearling for €90,000 at the October Arqana sales to Frédéric Sauque, who became his co-owner along with Phoenix Eventing, representing Swiss owner Stéphanie Hoffmann, Haras de l'Hôtellerie, and Marc Bridoux.
His dam, Simawa (Anabaa), was bred by the Aga Khan, for whom she won at 2 years old before producing the Listed-placed Silwana (Peintre Célèbre) and, most notably, the talented Sinawann (Kingman), who finished second at 2 in a Group 2 race won by Mogul before being exported to Australia, where he competed at a high level over distances ranging from 7 to 10 furlongs.
In the meantime, the mare had been sold for €210,000 at the Goffs sales in foal to Gleneagles. Jigme is her latest foal.
Simawa is a sister to the Derby and Arc winner Sinndar (Grand Lodge)...