28 July 2024
Sunday, 28 July 2024, Deauville-Touques Racecourse (Calvados). – As she did last year, Mqse de Sevigné (Siyouni) claimed victory in the race honouring her owner-breeder Édouard de Rothschild's family, the €300,000 Prix Rothschild (Gr1). After winning at 4 years old last year and then confirming over 1m2f in the Prix Jean Romanet (Gr1) on the same course, the mare is now entered in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Gr1), which is likely to be her main objective following another attempt in the "Romanet".
Awaiting this thrilling sporting challenge, the mare raced in sixth position on this straight course, in a field led by Ribaltagaia (Blame) ahead of Excellent Truth (Cotai Glory), who stayed along the outside rail, and Rogue Millennium (Dubawi), following the pacesetter. Mqse de Sevigné was positioned in the third row in the centre. She moved to the inside about 1.5 out to make her move and ultimately overcame a tenacious Excellent Truth, winner of the 2023 Prix de Psyché (Gr3), which was to be run over 1m2f just minutes later. At the post, André Fabre's trainee led by a length, with Rogue Millennium finishing third, a length and a half behind. The rest of the field did not make an impression.
Mqse de Sevigné was coming off a victory in the Prix d’Ispahan (Gr1), her fourth Group 1 win, and has now surpassed the million-euro mark in earnings. Winner of the Prix Vanteaux (Gr3) at 3 years old in 2022 after her first win, ninth in the Poule d’Essai (French 1,000 Guineas) with the fourth-best time in the final 3 furlongs of a chaotic race, Mqse de Sevigné was then exclusively raced between 10 and 10.5 furlongs, finishing second five times in her last six starts... Supplemented for her return to the mile in the "Rothschild" last year, she achieved an unprecedented double by winning the Sumbe Prix Jean Romanet (Gr1). Subsequently, she finished second to Inspiral in the Sun Chariot Stakes (Gr1) on her return to one mile, having prepared for the Prix d’Ispahan by giving weight to Skalleti in the Prix Jacques Laffitte (L).
Mqse de Sevigné is a sister to Méandre (Slickly), winner of a Grand Prix de Paris (Gr1), whose full sister Ondoyante (Slickly), a maiden then aged 13, was sold barren for €2,500 to Paul Nataf at the Arqana mixed sale in February 2022. A filly by Saxon Warrior was born in 2020, followed by a colt by Kodiac, Mr l’Apothicaire, who finished third and fourth over 10 then 11 furlongs at Compiègne and Clairefontaine.