13 August 2023
Photo scoopdyga.com
Sunday, 13th August 2023, Deauville-La Touques Racecourse (Calvados). – Laulne and Grey Man (Wootton Bassett) finished in this order in a Class 2 race held on 25th June at Lyon-Parilly over 6½ furlongs. Since then, the filly has clinched the Prix Six Perfections (Gr3) over 7 furlongs at Deauville, and in the open version, the €80,000 Circus Maximus Prix François Boutin (Gr3), Grey Man, having previously won over a mile at Clairefontaine, completely dominated again.
Beaten by a head in Bron, the representative of Julien and Jean-Philippe Dubois this time battled with the Irish frontrunner Mythology (Starspangledbanner), who finished a length behind without really troubling him towards the end. Kumite (Dark Angel) took third place six lengths back after trailing the winner. Too keen early on, the English raider Majestic One (Teofilo) and the French Evade (Wootton Bassett) were quickly beaten, thus both losing their brief unbeaten run.
Bred in France by Skymarc Farms, Grey Man is out of the outstanding Top Toss (Linamix), winner of the Prix d’Aumale (Gr3) and the Prix Psyché (Gr3) for her breeder. He was unsold at 39,000€ as a weanling at Deauville, then 60,000€ as a yearling. His dam had already produced Lesstalk in Paris (CapeCross), also a winner of the Prix d’Aumale and placed in the "Marcel Boussac" (Gr1) and the Coronation Stakes (Gr1)…
Grey Man's Le Havre brother is listed in the Arqana August Yearling sale catalogue.