The magic year for champion French sire Siyouni continued overnight in France when the Group I Prix Rothschild (1600m) at Deaville was won by his four year-old mare Mqse de Sevigne, fittingly a homebred for the Rothschild family.
Trained by Andre Fabre and ridden by Alexis Pouchin, Mqse de Sevigne ended a frustrating run of three consecutive second stakes-placings this year to post her first G1 win.
She finished with a late surge to score a well timed short neck win over the Godolphin runner Life in Motion (Sea the Stars) taking her overall record to three wins and six placings from 11 starts.
Mqse de Sevigne is a homebred for Baron Edouard De Rothschild, whose family name is carried by this race.
“When Nashwa won the Falmouth, Andre Fabre called me and said we have to do the same and run Mqse de Sevigne over a mile,” Baron Edouard De Rothschild said..
“He said she will run at the end of August in the Prix Quincey and I said 'no, we will supplement her for the Prix Rothschild'. Not because of the name of the race, but she had already won a Group Three and I thought that if he believes that the straight mile here would suit her then we might as well try a Group One against her own sex.”
Mqse de Sevigne is a half-sister to triple Group I winner Meandre and is the second Group I winner from stakes-placed Penne,wwho has had six winners from eight foals to race.
“The result is amazing, a real dream, to win this race three miles away from where she was born, from an old family developed by my father,” Rothschild added.
“I feel we have to give a chance to young talented French jockeys and Alexis Pouchin gave her a brilliant ride. I think it is tremendously wonderful for the stud and all the team that work very hard. We will now enjoy the moment and the time will come soon enough to decide when and where she will run again.”
Mqse de Sevigne is the 10th Group I winner for Aga Khan Stud's Siyouni and is his third this year joining outstanding three year-olds Paddington and Tahiyra.
Australian breeders can access the bloodline with his champion son St Mark’s Basilica returning to Coolmore Australia for his second season at a fee of $44,000.
