5 August 2023
Photo scoopdyga.com
Saturday, August 5, 2023, Deauville Racecourse (Calvados). - One month after finishing third behind Westover in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (Gr1) for his first attempt over 1m1/2, the 4-year-old gelding Junko (Intello) started as the favourite in the €80,000 Prix de Reux (Gr3), a traditional springboard towards for the €200,000 Grand Prix de Deauville Lucien Barrière (Gr2). The Wertheimer & Frère-bred horse came from the rear to clear the field in between horses and take over the other favourite, Big Call (Animal Kingdom), who had taken the lead going off the bend. After also having travelled in the rear, the German filly Alessio (Teofilo) had made her move towards the inside rail in the turn, and had then challenged Big Call, but the latter held her off. However, Junko was superior and with 2lbs less to carry than Big Call, he left him three lengths behind, with Alessio finishing one length behind to secure the 3rd place.
The winner had not tasted victory since March when he won the Prix Darshaan at Chantilly on the all-weather before finishing sixth in the Dubai Turf (Gr1) over 9 furlongs.
Having won his first three races as a 3-year-old, including the Prix Noailles (Gr3), Junko finished third in the Prix Eugène Adam (Gr2) and second in the Prix Guillaume d'Ornano (Gr2). He ended the season with another second place, beaten by just a head, in the short 10-furlong of the Prix Dollar (Gr2) by his outstanding elder, Anmaat, who won the Prix d'Ispahan (Gr1) last spring.
With this performance, Junko confirms his aspirations over longer trips.
Wertheimer & Frère secured his dam, the US Group 3-placed Lady Zuzu (Dynaformer), a sister to the Gr3 winner and Gr1-placed Optimizer (English Channel) sold in foal to War Front for $2,350,000 at the Fasig-Tipton breeding sales in 2016.
Since then, she has given birth to a 3-year-old colt by Frankel, also a gelding, who started off with a sixth-place finish over 1m4f in June at Saint-Cloud before being sold for €38,000 to John Daniel Moore at the Arqana summer sales.
The War Front filly Lady Zuzu was carrying when she was sold won a race and was initially sold by Wertheimer & Frère, then later by Haras d'Étreham, in December 2021 at Tattersalls, in foal to Persian King, for £115,000 to Chantilly Bloodstock Agency (Gérard Larrieu). A filly was born in 2022, and her full sister in 2023. Both are bred by Haras d'Étreham.