The January 2024 Maiden winners

 

ALMARA (f3), FRA by Almanzor ex Molly Maria (Big Shuffle)

Prix de Vieux-la-Romaine (Maiden 3-years-old Fillies, 1,500m/7.5f AWT), January 26, 2024, Deauville

Owner: Zied Ben M’Rad

Trainer: Romain Le Dren Doleuze

Breeder: Zied Ben M’Rad

Rider: Arthur Mossé

Having made an unplaced debut followed by a second-place finish at her home track in Deauville, Almara (Almanzor) showed significant improvement this time, winning decisively from start to finish by nearly five lengths. She led over Spring Heart (Scissor Kick), who secured her third placing in as many starts, finishing strongly along the rail to take second place from Matwana (Galiway), who was fast ahead early on, and the favourite Goa (No Nay Never), who couldn't sustain her effort to the end.

Almara was sold for just €10,000 to Millenium Bloodstock at the Arqana October sales, having been withdrawn from the August session. Presented by l’Aumonerie, she is a sister to Ilanga (Penny’s Picnic), winner of the Prix Texanita (Gr3) and, like her, from a mare who was a two-year-old winner in her native Germany.

Almara is the latest registered foal out of Molly Maria (Big Shuffle), who was withdrawn from the 2021 breeding sales where she was listed as in foal to Galiway.

 

WAPI (c3), FRA by Siyouni ex Holy Dazzle (Sunday Break)

Prix d’Aregenua (Maiden 3-years-old Colts and Geldings, 1,500m/7.5f AWT), January 26, 2024, Deauville

Owners: Écurie du Haras du Cadran, Écurie Mélanie, Anne-Laurence Jacq, Christian Berquier

Trainer: C&Y Lerner

Breeders: Écurie du Haras du Cadran, Écurie Mélanie, Adrian von Gunten

Rider: Ronan Thomas

Wapi (Siyouni) was the clear favourite this time around, having previously finished second and fourth in his previous outings in November and December. However, still trailing at the 300-meter mark, he managed to come back to challenge En Plein Air (Due Diligence), who had taken over Roudoudou (Ectot) in the straight after tracking the early pace-setters. In a close finish, Wapi narrowly clinched victory by a nose, securing his first win, edging out the consistent En Plein Air, with Roudoudou finishing third more than two lengths behind.

Wapi was purchased for €97,000 from his co-breeder, Haras du Cadran, who remains a co-owner along with another joint breeder, Écurie Mélanie. His four-year-old Cracksman brother, also trained by the Lerners yet to win, will be presented at the February sales in Deauville. This colt hails from the lineage of classic winner Chichicastenango and Gr2 Auteuil winner Gun’n Roses. Wapi is a full sibling to "Godolphin's" Roman Candle (Le Havre).

A St Mark’s Basilica filly joined the family in 2023.

 

BLACK LULLABY (f4), IRE by Siyouni ex Maimara (Makfi)

Prix de la Cour Oriot (Maiden 4-year-olds, 1,900m/9.5f AWT), January 25, 2024, Deauville

Owners: Nicolas de Chambure, Nicolas Clément

Trainer: Nicolas Clément

Breeder: Ballylinch Stud

Rider: Thomas Trullier

This was the favourite Black Lullaby (Siyouni)'s seventh race. She had never left the racecourse empty-handed though. Fifth in her debut at two, she didn't race for a year until autumn 2023, taking fourth place at Chantilly, then finishing second twice at Angers and Compiègne over 1,600m/1m. The Ballylinch Stud-bred then changed hands when Jean-Louis Bouchard, who had purchased her for €180,000 as a yearling at Deauville, sold her for the €44,000 bid by Equos Racing and Nicolas Clément at the Arqana autumn sales. Black Lullaby is the second foal out of the excellent Maimara (Makfi), 4th in the Moulin de Longchamp (Gr1) and winner of the Prix Edmond Blanc (Gr3).

This time, Black Lullaby, coming off four consecutive second-place finishes, including two for her new connections, asserted her dominance decisively after racing in fourth behind pace-setters Velvet Crush (Invincible Spirit) and Sakura Glitters (Marlborough). She took the lead mid-straight to win by two lengths over a finishing-well Full Colour (Recorder), with Sakura Glitters bravely holding on against Drimys (Zelzal).

 

TRIBECA (f4), GER by Guiliani ex Tucana (Acatenango)

Prix de Rabodanges (Maiden 4-year-olds, 2,500m/12.5f AWT), January 25, 2024, Deauville

Owners: Gilles Le Baron, Écurie des Monceaux, Noir et Or Élevage, Haras du Hoguenet

Trainer: Yann Barberot

Breeder: Gestüt Schlenderhan

Rider: Dorian Provost

Also entered in another maiden of this card over 1,900m/9.5f, Tribeca (Guiliani) was the sole debutante in this late-stage maiden of seven runners over 2,500m/12.5f. She travalled behind the leaders before taking over in the final straight, leaving Got Hawk (Gleneagles), who debuted a month earlier, four lengths behind, far ahead of Sea Salinas (Sea the Stars), who hadn't run for several months and led on her own early on.

Tribeca was purchased for €130,000 at the Arqana December sales by Écurie des Monceaux. As a yearling, she had been sold for €135,000 at Baden-Baden by her breeder, Gestüt Schlenderhan. Tribeca's third dam is none other than Allegretta, dam of the extraordinary Urban Sea. Tribeca's dam, Tucana (Acatenango), a dual winner in her native Germany, is also the granddam of 2021 Arc winner, German champion Torquator Tasso. Additionally, she foaled Titurel (Dr Fong), 3rd in the Prix Maurice de Nieuil (Gr2), and Tusked Wings (Adlerflug), a Group 2 winner in Germany and the dam of last year's Prix de Diane Longines 3rd placer, Tasmania (Australia).

 

 

SULEYMAN (c4), (GB) by Sea the Stars ex Sefroua (Kingmambo)

Prix de Saint-James (Maiden 4-year-olds, 1,500m/7.5f AWT), January 19, 2024, Deauville

Owners: Riviera Equine, Haras d’Étreham, Stéphane Wattel

Trainer: Stéphane Wattel

Breeders: Riviera Equine, Haras d’Étreham

Rider: Alexis Pouchin

Finishing fourth a month earlier in his debut on this course and distance, just behind a trio of more experienced horses, Suleyman (Sea the Stars) was well-fancied on this occasion and started as the firm favourite in a field of twelve. Positioned just off the leaders, he took the lead with one furlong to go but had to fight hard to fend off a determined Druide (Seahenge), narrowly winning at the wire.

Presomption (Lawman), who was just beaten by Suleyman on December 15 in their debut, again finished strongly to take third place, nearly two lengths behind.

Suleyman, purchased for 320,000 euros at the Arqana October yearling sales by Mandore International, was reacquired by his breeders, as Haras d’Étreham bought him back for 10,000 euros at the Arqana Autumn sales last November. The horse is out of the talented US-bred Sefroua (Kingmambo), a Listed winner in France before faltering in her home country, and a daughter of the champion Sophisticat. Sefroua also produced Suphala (Frankel), winner of the Prix Chloë (Gr3), and more recently a Persian King colt and another colt by St Mark’s Basilica.

 

DOLLAR INDEX (f3), FRA by Kendargent ex Kikinda (Daliapour)

Prix de la Barelière (Maiden 3-year-old Colts and Geldings, 1,900m/9.5f AWT), January 19, 2024, Deauville

Owners: La Flèche Racing, Écurie Tygaly, Chauvigny Global Equine, Seror Racing Management, Mathieu Brasme

Trainer: Mathieu Brasme

Breeder: Patrick Chédeville

Rider: Augustin Madamet

After a strong second-place finish behind Celestial a month earlier on this same track over 1,500m/7.5f, Dollar Index (Kendargent) was the clear favourite at 3/2 here and left little doubt about the outcome in the final straight. moving forward off the field, he caught up with the leader Kowalski (Recoletos) one out and won comfortably by five lengths, with Kowalski holding on for second, two lengths ahead of a fast-finishing Meautis (Sea the Moon), the beginner Pote (Shamalgan), and Wit Perd (Kendargent), coming from far behind.

The winner's dam Kikinda (Daliapour) gave 10 foals prior to Dollar Index. She won her first race at Divonne but failed to repeat this success and finished her career in claiming races.

Nevertheless, at stud, she gave High Alpha (Fuissé), who beat eventual French Derby-winner Brametot in the Critérium du Fonds Européen de l’Élevage (L) at two, and before him Stillman (Vespone), who placed six times in Group 2 and 3 races in Germany and France from two to five years old.

Dollar Index was purchased for 36,000 euros at the Arqana October yearling sales by Chauvigny Equine. His dam had been sold less than a year earlier for 17,000 euros, in foal to Dabirsim, to Chantilly Bloodstock (Gérard Larrieu).

 

DARKILLA (f3), FRA by Bated Breath ex Paravent (Oasis Dream)

Prix de la Perdrière (Maiden 3-year-old Fillies, 1,900m/9.5f AWT), January 19, 2024, Deauville

Owners: Sandrine Gavrois, Bernard Giraudon

Trainer: Christopher Head

Breeders: Écurie Skymarc Farm, Écurie des Charmes

Rider: Hugo Besnier

One of three beginners facing a field of ten fillies with prior race experience, Darkilla (Bated Breath) got the best spot behind the leaders, including the favourite and front-runner Soul and Romance (Goken). She went forward off the bend and overtook Magestic Moon (Sea the Moon) about 100 yards out, appearing to head towards an easy win, but she eventually just managed a narrow victory as Janasha (Wootton Bassett) came fast from the rear with her apprentice’s five-pound allowance (carrying one pound less than the winner) to miss by a breath. Magestic Moon held on for third a length behind, nearly five lengths ahead of the others.

Soul and Romance's rider, finishing tenth, reported to the stewards that she had met breathing difficulties during the race.

Darkilla was bought for 30,000 euros by Ange Peretti at the Arqana October yearling sales. Her Le Havre sister followed the same path last August but was bought back for 110,000 euros by her co-breeder, Haras de la Louvière. Both are out of Paravent (Oasis Dream), a race winner whose dam, the maiden Paratonnerre (Montjeu), descends from the matron Platonic (Zafonic), Darkilla's third dam. This family has produced champions Chicquita and Magic Wand, with the best performers almost exclusively female.

A Sea the Moon brother to Darkilla was born in 2023.

 

AGAT (c3), (IRE) by Wootton Bassett ex Ayelet (Hat Trick)

Prix de la Gare de Pointe Noire (Maiden 3-year-old Colts & Geldings, 1,300m/6.5f AWT), January 12, 2024, Deauville

Owner: Nurlan Bizakov

Trainer: Jean-Claude Rouget

Breeders: Langlais Bloodstock, Euro Limousin, SCEA de Marancourt

Rider: Enzo Crublet

Finishing fifth 28 days earlier in his first outing over 6.5f, Agat (Wootton Bassett) was also the favourite here, mirroring the success of Clanitha and Obsess in the filly’s version of this race. Well-placed early, Agat launched an attack in the open when the race, initially led by Mister Gan (Invincible Army) and Loyal Prince (Palace Prince), then Koa (City Light) on the rail, unfolded. Representing Nurlan Bizakov, Agat dominated in the final stages, leaving the gallant Sabroso (Nathaniel), returning after a break, almost two lengths behind, just ahead of En Plein Air (Due Diligence) and the promising newcomer Southern Meteor (Zoustar).

Agat was purchased for €190,000 as a weanling at the Arqana breeding sales in December 2021. Last summer, his Sottsass brother was sold to Oceanic Bloodstock for €380,000, and his full sister Brandywine (Wootton Bassett) was bought for €42,000 at the December Arqana sales by trainer Jérôme Reynier, after she'd won her first race.

Their dam, the unraced Ayelet (Hat Trick), is out of the Listed-winning Dream Clover (Oasis Dream), sister to the excellent Call the Wind (Frankel), With You (Dansili), You Are (Dansili), etc. She was bought out of training by Langlais Bloodstock for £40,000 in July 2018 at Newmarket.

 

CLANITHA (f3), FRA by Almanzor ex Pursuit of Glory (Fusaichi Pegasus)

Prix de la Gare de Dalat (Maiden 3-year-old Fillies, 1,300m/6.5f AWT), Vendredi 12 janvier 2024, Deauville

Owner: Mrs. Marc-Antoine Berghgracht

Trainer: Maurice Delcher-Sanchez

Breeder: Haras d’Étreham, SF Bloodstock

Rider: Maxime Guyon

After finishing fourth in her debut four weeks earlier over 7.5f, Clanitha (Almanzor) faced several of her first rivals again on a shorter distance, including L’Ardéchoise (El Kabeir), third that day, and Obsess (Siyouni), eighth then but the favourite here. However, Clanitha proved unbeatable, and though Obsess tried to overtake her all the way to the wire, she couldn’t match Clanitha and finished a good length behind, with L’Ardéchoise again taking third after racing along the rail.

Clanitha was withdrawn from the Arqana yearling sales by Haras d’Étreham, her co-breeder. However, she appeared at the Deauville breeze-up in May last year, where MAB Agency (Marc-Antoine Berghgracht) purchased her for €50,000 from Philip Prevost-Baratte. She's now racing for the bloodstock agent.

The winner's dam, Pursuit of Glory (Fusaichi Pegasus), was 3rd in the Cheveley Park Stakes (Gr1) and hersefl is out of the Coronation Stakes (Gr1)-winner Sophisticat (Storm Cat), whose dam is the great Serena’s Song.

The filly is Pursuit of Glory's 4th winner. Two other fillies follow, a Hello Youmzain 2-year-old sold as a yearling last Summer to LDC Bloodstock (Richard Powell) for 25 000 €, and a Persian King foaled in 2023.