4 April 2021
Photo scoopdyga.com
Sunday, April 4, 2021, Auteuil Racecourse (Paris). - The 4-year-old filly Queen du Berlais (Muhtathir) became the new heir of a great mare, King’s Daughter, by taking over a brave Metasequoia (Joshua Tree) in the last hundred yards of the Fleuret 4yo Chase (Gr3) after her siblings Goliath du Berlais (Saint des Saints), now a sire at Haras d’Étreham, and James du Berlais (Muhtathir), also racing for Simon Munir & Isaac Souede but in Britain, had already won a Group race there.
Trained by David Cottin, who won four races on the day at Auteuil (plus two at Lyon-Parilly on the same afternoon), the chestnut joined the leading group led by La Danza (Masked Marvel) going towards the big open-ditch in the backstretch. She was then eased by Kevin Nabet and only moved in the run-in to beat Metasequoia by almost a length. La Danza, who had unseated her rider last time out after being nearly brought down, in the Duc d’Anjou 4yo Chase (Gr3), stayed on in 3rd at almost 2 lengths. The favourite Losange Vert (Montmartre), the Duc d’Anjou winner, faded in the latter stages this time.
King’s Daughter (King’s Theatre), the winner's dam, was bred in France by Gérard Samama. She raced for him until she was claimed by Robert Collet, and was then switched to hurdles for Jean-Marc Lucas at François-Marie Cottin's yard. She won the Bournosienne 3yo Fillies Hurdle Race (Gr3), finished 4th in the Prix Renaud du Vivier 4yo Hurdle Race (Gr1), before ending her career at Robert Collet's. The rest is history! Shge gave three consecutive Saint des Saints foals, lately, all full siblings to Goliath du Berlais.
As for Queen du Berlais, she started straight over hurdles last May with an 8th place in the Wild Monarch 3yo Beginners' Hurdle race. Her 3rd and last trial over hurdles was a 4th in the Haras d’Étreham Sagan 3yo Fillies Hurdle Race (Gr3). She came back in September at Compiègne for her first chasing experience, was placed then and another time on the same venue before winning her first chase, at Auteuil, in the Didier Mescam 4yo Chase, before this Fleuret win.