4 September 2022
Photo scoopdyga.com
September 4, 2022, ParisLongchamp Racecourse (Paris). – The oldest runner in this field of 6 gathered at the start of the 10-furlong trip of the Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte (Gr3), 7-year-old gelding Monty (Motivator) easily dominated in the last two furlongs. First placed in the fourth position, behind Best of Lips (The Gurkha) and Future History (Showcasing), outside Integrant (Frankel), Andreas Schütz's trainee soon took over the leaders, outpacing them to win by more than a length, Riocorvo (Pastorius) finishing well second in front of a brave Best of Lips, along with the favourite Sealiway (Galiway), out for almost 100 days before this.
Third in Wally's Gontaut-Biron (Gr3) recently, Monty had previously won La Coupe (Gr3) on the same course and, like the second-placed here, he was giving 2lbs to the field.
Representing AB Racing, the Écurie Ades Hazan, Benjamin and Jérémy Houta, Monty began his career with Alain de Royer Dupré for the Duke of Bedford. The Duchess of Bedford bred the horse.
A late-maturing type, Monty made his debut late in his 3-year-old season, then won three races in the Provinces the following season to make his return at 5 in the Prix Exbury (Gr3), finishing fifth. He then changed owners and, after a quick winning spell with Andrea Marcialis, joined Jérôme Reynier. The southern trainer trained him into third place in the Prix d'Harcourt (Gr2), followed by a Listed victory. He then moved to Andreas Schütz in the summer of 2021. Since then, he has always been in the final 3, with one exception (in Chantilly), and he is now a double Group 3 winner! He’s now ahead of almost €500,000 in prizemoney and premiums…
He is out of a Wertheimer mare, Antebellum (Anabaa), who failed for her only outing but had been entered in the Prix de Diane and the Saint-Alary. She’s given five foals, Monty being the best and youngest.
His older sister Prewar (Dubai Destination) was sold for £5,000 at 12 years old at Tattersalls, in foal to Lightning Spear. The 3rd dam is the classic Wildenstein-bred Agathe dam, among others, of Aquarelliste and the second dam of Grand Prix de Deauville winner Ziyad.