22 April 2019
Photos scoopyga.com
No group race on the card, this Monday, April 22 in ParisLongchamp, but some promising colts and fillies who will certainly splash at the highest level very soon.
Impressive for her debut at Saint-Cloud in the Prix Parade d'Amour, eighteen days earlier, the 3yo filly Siyarafina (Pivotal) amazed the ParisLongchamp racegoers on Monday in the Prix du Louvre, a Class 1 race over the mile won by her dam Siyenica (Azamour) six years ago. Trained by Alain de Royer Dupré for her breeder, the Aga Khan, the bay filly won by one and a half length without breaking a sweat. She should be among the favourites in the upcoming The Emirates Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (French 1,000 Guineas, Gr1), in twenty days.
Her dam is a sister to champion speedster Siyouni (Pivotal), one of the best sires in Europe. She won herself, after the Prix du Louvre, the Prix de Bagatelle (L), and finished third in a Prix Daniel Wildenstein (Gr2).
Also trained by Royer Dupré for the Aga Khan, three-year-old Dariyza (Dawn Approach) also caused a sensation on Monday for her debut, going from last to first in the last two furlongs in a very convincing fashion in the Prix de Chaillot, over 2,100m.
Trained by Francis Graffard in Chantilly this season after two second places in Britain at 2, Eagle Hunter (Dansili) opened his account in the Prix Machado, the Colts’ version of the Prix du Louvre. Bred by his owner Al Asayl Bloodstock, a stable created in 1991 by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the emir of Abu Dhabi and president of the United Arab Emirates, Eagle Hunter had started his French campaign with a second place at Saint-Cloud over a ground too soft for his liking. This time, he prevailed over the favourite favori Melicertes (Poet’s Voice), who never let go and got beaten by a short neck only.
The winning colt is in all the French classics. His 3rd dam is the 1980 Arc-winner Detroit, herself the dam of another Arc winner, Carnegie !
Another promising colt, Motamarris (Le Havre) was pushed hard to finally get the job done after being held back in the field of the Prix de Solferino, a Class 2 race over 11 furlongs. Trained by Freddy Head for his owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, he beat Himola (Dalakhani), who had also recently started his career with a win.
Last high profile winner on the day, the Hungarian 4-year-old Time to Paris (Fuissé) was racing for the first time under the care of Chantilly trainer Pia Brandt at Chantilly. Unbeaten in eight races over 5 to 7 furlongs at legendary Kincsem Park racetrack in Budapest, the stocky French-bred crushed the opposition in the Prix du Gros Caillou, a good 7 furlongs race. It was his first test in France and he's passed it in such a way that his connections can now expect him to score at any level on the European speed scene. Tour to Paris was bred in France by the Head family's Haras du Quesnay. He was sold at the 2016 Autumn sale for a mere € 3,000 to Chris Richner Bloodstock for his owner, Dr Elemér Hammersberg.