€190,000 Critérium de Maisons-Laffitte (Gr2): Classic Flower finally wins her Group race

7 October 2023

Critérium Maisons-Laffitte 23 Classic Flower

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Saturday, October 7, 2023, Chantilly Racecourse (Oise) – French filly Classic Flower (Calyx) was not the favourite at 11/2, but she completely dominated the favored Dawn Charger (Soldier's Call) over the €190,000 Critérium de Maisons-Laffitte (Gr2).

The representative of Gousserie Racing and Jean-Etienne Dubois, who drew the 5 post, raced outside the pacesetters Seven Questions (Kodiac), travelling by the stands' rail, and Dawn Charger in between. However, she passed the grandstand with ease and in the end, she put almost a length between her and Dawn Charger, with Seven Questions finishing third by nearly two lengths...

This was Classic Flower's sixth outing. A winner of her first two races in April at Salon-de-Provence and in May at Le Bouscat, she was partly purchased by Gousserie Racing before finishing third in her first high-level start, the Prix Robert Papin (Gr2). She was second next in the Prix Six Perfections (Gr3) and did not get the best of trips in the 7-furlong Prix du Calvados (Gr2) before this winning effort, 49 days later.

Classic Flower was purchased for £45,000 at the Tattersalls yearling sale. She is the first foal out of the maiden mare Crown of Flowers (Garswood), a sister to Bahia Breeze (Mr Baileys), a Listed winner and second in the Prix Jean Romanet (Gr2).

Three days before Classic Flower's victory, her sister by Oasis Dream was also sold, this time for £335,000, to Stonestreet Stables.