Hipodromos y caballos - Racetracks and horses BloodStockReview2013 | Page 45

FRANCE that juvenile success at Saint-Cloud three years earlier. Maxios left Olympic Glory five lengths adrift with the Poule d’Essai-winning duo of Flotilla and Style Vendome even further back in a decisive Prix du Moulin display. Maxios was one of three individual Group 1 winners for the late Monsun in France, a tally matched only by Galileo. Monsun’s daughter Silasol landed the Prix Saint-Alary on the same Longchamp card as the Ispahan, while Andreas Wöhler got Novellist’s Group 1 bandwagon rolling for the year with victory in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud. Galileo’s flag-bearer for 2013 was undoubtedly Prix du Jockey Club hero Intello, who was campaigned with flair by André Fabre and the Wertheimer brothers. While his sole Group 1 success came at Chantilly, Intello also earned plaudits for versatility, with placed efforts over a mile in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains and Prix Jacques le Marois, before chasing home Treve and Orfevre in the Arc. Intello will now take up stud duties at Cheveley Park for two seasons before transferring to Haras du Quesnay. Galileo did sire a winner on Arc day thanks to Cadran hero Altano, and also struck at Deauville with Romantica in the Prix Jean Romanet for Fabre and Khalid Abdullah. The daughter of Banks Hill then found only Dank too good when attempting to emulate her dam in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf. The Niarchos family enjoyed Group 1 success after a six-year hiatus with Maxios (Prix d’Ispahan and Prix du Moulin) and Karakontie (left, Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère) Abdullah also enjoyed success thanks to Flintshire, an impressive winner of the Juddmontesponsored Grand Prix de Paris and one to look out for on a sound surface if, as expected, he stays in training at four. Challenge When Fabre finally tires of dominating the sport in France, Mikel Delzangles might be the man best placed to challenge for championship honours. Almost unthinkable among his Chantilly Galileo’s flag-bearer for 2013 was undoubtedly Prix du Jockey Club hero Intello Style Vendome (yellow silks) prevails in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains for Arc-winning trainer Nicolas Clément racingpost.com/ipad 1 45 brethren, Delzangles sent out Flotilla to land the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches on her first start of the season. That was a maiden domestic Classic success for Delzangles, matching the feat of Poule d’Essai des Poulains winner Nicolas Clément, whose triumph with Style Vendome came the small matter of 23 years after winning the Arc with Saumarez. For all the success of French trainers in securing most of their country’s richest prizes – Britain and Ireland accounted for just three of the 27 Group 1s on offer courtesy of Elusive Kate, Maarek and Tac De Boistron – the most remarkable triumph surely belongs to Wesley Ward. Ward became the first US trainer to win a top French prize when No Nay Never defeated future Group 1 heroines Vorda and Rizeena in the Prix Morny. Moreover, he pushed the possibilities of travelling young horses further than anyone had previously dared. No Nay Never broke the course record in Royal Ascot’s Norfolk Stakes before returning to Florida-based Ward’s satellite operation at Keeneland. Less than 60 days later the son of Scat Daddy was back in Europe, receiving the acclaim from a packed Deauville winner’s enclosure following his Morny triumph. t