The flat season in Europe is starting to roll along and there were a couple of super interesting three year-stakes races in France overnight at Deauville with glamour Justify filly Ramatuelle beaten in her return by an expensive Godolphin purchase, while the colts race was won by an undefeated gelding that will prick the ears of Australians seeking quality Euro tried horses.
The Group III Prix Impudence (1400m) was the first race of the new season for Ramatuelle, a multiple Group winner last season that finished her year with a Group I second in the Prix Morny. She was sent out favourite and ran well in her first attempt beyond 1200m, but found the Charlie Appleby trained Night of Thunder filly Romantic Style too strong going down by half a length.
“We felt if we'd stayed at home and perhaps gone to Newbury for a trial it was closer to an English Guineas but I don't think she'd see a mile out in my honest opinion over the trip there at Newmarket so we thought we're better off coming here and it gives her more time between now and a French Guineas,” said Charlie Appleby..
“William [Buick, jockey] was delighted, he said she was fresh, travelled sweetly in his hands but, what I love about her is she did it all the right way around. When she picked up I felt she was always going to be doing enough to stay in front. She's a filly who has got natural pace in her pedigree but she does give herself a chance to stay the mile. We know coming back for the French Guineas will be our aim as, if she's going to do it, we feel this is the right place to be doing it, hopefully.”
Romantic Style won two of three starts last year including a Listed victory last November and has obviously come back well and holds entries for the Classics. She was a 550,000 guinea purchase for Godolphin from Tattersalls October and is from Group III winning Dream Ahead mare Sweety Dream, whose only other foal to race is the stakes-winner Are We Dreaming.
Connections were also pleased with Ramatuelle with the Justify filly also headed to a Guineas.
“Ramatuelle made a good start to the season and she showed she stayed the trip as she did all her best work at the end despite pulling early on. We'll stick with the plan to go to Newmarket,” said her trainer Christopher Head.
The Group III Prix Djebel (1400m) was won by Territories gelding Lazzat, who made it four wins as many starts since January this year with another bold victory that has connections thinking Royal Ascot.
“I'm not sure I learned a lot because I know Lazzat has a lot of natural speed and that's why I didn't want to step him up past 1,400 metres [seven furlongs]. He'll now go for either the Prix Paul du Moussac or the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot,” said his trainer Jerome Reynier.
“I really want to keep him in that rhythm. I'd love him to get a lead one day but you can't restrain him or allow the race to unfold at a false pace. It's fine making all but I think we'll have to consider running a pacemaker for him at some stage. He was looking around a bit there but I think he'll improve in terms of maturity with time and racing.”
Now a two time stakes-winner having won a Listed race at his previous start, Lazzat is the first winner from Lastochka, a winning grand-daughter of Group I Newmarket One Thousand Guineas winner Sleepytime.
