10 September 2023
Photo scoopdyga.com
Sunday, 10th September 2023, ParisLongchamp Racecourse (Paris) - Quickly taking the lead with Czech raider Ponntos (Power), Cœur de Pierre (Zanzibari) held off his rival to claim victory over the Qatar Prix du Petit Couvert (Gr3)'s 5 furlongs, the French warm-up for the Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp (Gr1).
The duo was never seriously challenged by the three horses that had trailed them. At three lengths or more, the favourite and two-time race winner Berneuil (Lope de Vega) finished fourth, narrowly beaten after 74 days off the track by Asymmetric (Showcasing), ahead of Lesslepasser (Penny’s Picnic), who had run outside the leaders.
The consistent representative for Pandora Racing and Ahmed Mouknass, a 7-year-old gelding and the oldest horse in the race finished second in this same event last year before taking third place in “l'Abbaye.” Winning again in the autumn over 6 furlongs in the Prix de Seine-et-Oise (Gr3), he has since faltered at Chantilly and Ascot at the beginning of the season, later finishing fifth twice—in the Prix de Ris-Orangis (Gr3) and the Prix du Cercle (L) to Asymmetric, to whom he then conceded 3 pounds.
Cœur de Pierre is a full brother to the talented Cœur de Beauté (Dabirsim), who came second in a Poule d'Essai (French One Thousand, Gr1) for the same connections. However, this wasn't decisive when he was purchased for €47,000 as a yearling at the Osarus sale by Mab Agency. Since then, however, the family pedigree has gained prominence. A Shalaa colt was sold for €100,000 to Yann Barberot at the Arqana yearling sales in 2021. He hasn't run yet. An out-of-training full sister to Cœur de Beauté fetched €52,000 at Deauville, having won a race in the UK last December. She was purchased by SARL HDG Farm.
The US-bred third dam Brigid (Irish River) features in the pedigrees of outstanding performers such as Sequoyah, Henrythenavigator, Queen Cleopatra, Listen, Cliffs of Moher, among others.