28 November 2021
Photo scoopdyga.com
Sunday, November 28, 2021, Auteuil Racecourse (Paris). - It has been a bit of a messy finish in the Morgex 4yo Chase (Gr3), the last Group race of the season at Auteuil. Three weeks after Let Me Love took the Maurice Gillois 4yo Chase (Gr1), second-placed Sel Jem (Masked Marvel) and third-placed Gold Tweet (On Est Bien) were meeting again but over 2m1 1/2f instead of 2m6f, facing new pretenders, mostly the three first home in the Triquerville Chase (L), run over the same, shorter distance. Going into the last straight, the Triquerville victor Niko Has (Great Pretender) was looking like the winner, only to get parted with his rider at the 2nd last, which led La Danza (Masked Marvel) to the fore, after having travelled close to the pace since the start. Ridden out of the blue by Romain Julliot, the Daniela Mele-trained filly managed to stay the trip to the wire, a closing Sel Jem (Masked Marvel) failing to catch her by two and a half lengths, while the ever braver Gold Tweet was 3rd again, five lengths down the field.
It was a welcome double for the Haras d’Étreham sire Masked Marvel.
Ironically, La Danza had fallen in her previous race at Compiegne but also for her seasonal come back at Auteuil, in the Spring. However, she made the frame at each of her other outings, over hurdles, fences and the flat.
La Danza's dam La Sorelle (Voix du Nord) was trained by her owner-breeder Guy Cherel, also the breeder of La Danza, her second and last foal (she died in July 2017). She had run eight times without a win but finished 3rd over hurdles once at Auteuil in a claimer.
This is an American family which fell in the hands of Jean-Luc Lagardère, breeder of Our Ziga (Linamix), La Danza's second dam, whose yearling made €13,000 € at Deauville at the 2020 Autumn sales.