Intello gives Wertheimer brothers first French Derby success
So unlucky when third in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains (French Two Thousand
Guienas), Intello made amends with a straightforward success in Sunday’s Group 1
Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly to supply the Wertheimer brothers with a first
win in this classic and yet another day at the top of the sport.
Sent off the
23-10 crowd’s choice despite being drawn in 10, the bay son of Galileo was able to use the
speed that got him into the show spot in the
May 12 Longchamp contest to quickly gain a perfect stalking position in third
under Olivier Peslier. As the pacemakers folded in early stretch, the homebred
shrugged off his stablemate and eventual third Sky Hunter with just over 300 meters remaining and was driven out to assert for a
two-length success from the closer Morandi.
“He
is a great horse and this is a great moment, as we have waited a very long time
to win this since taking over from our father,” Alain Wertheimer said as he
finally emulated the victory of Jacques’ Val de l’Orne in 1975.
Brought along steadily by Andre Fabre at two, Intello was restricted to a pair
of mile conditions races at Longchamp in September and at Maisons-Laffitte the
following month and emerged with a perfect record without being asked a serious
question. Interestingly, the homebred was sent to Newmarket for livelier ground
than was prevalent in his native France for the nine-furlong Feilden and he was again unextended to stretch his unbeaten tally
on April 17.
Despite the
exploits of his stable’s Ocovango, Triple Threat and Tableaux in the country’s main Derby
trials, the vibes for Intello were strong and he underlined the impression that
he was the best in the barn with his dramatic flourish from far behind in the
Poulains. Whereas he lost a shoe and was struck into during that rough-house
Classic, this experience proved a much happier one from the outset.
Intello was guided to the head of what became the main field as the pacemaking
duo Beyond Thankful and Superplex were essentially
ignored. Sky Hunter, who had shadowed him throughout, looked a real threat as Maxime Guyon loomed large on his outer with a quarter-mile remaining, but as the
pair got to work it was soon clear that the favorite had his measure.
Establishing a clear advantage by the furlong-pole, he was out of reach as Christophe Soumillon wound Morandi up for his effort and nothing from behind was
able to get on terms.
“That was a very good run. We knew he was a horse with
plenty of speed so I didn’t want to take any chances,” Peslier remarked. “He
traveled very well and once I asked him he jumped to it and won nicely.”
Fabre was toying with the idea of bringing him back to a mile afterward.
“This
was a really good winner of the French Derby and he has a lot of qualities — he
has speed, he stays well, has a good turn of foot and a very good temperament,”
the conditioner said after celebrating his third renewal.
“He was unlucky last time and
has the pace to win over a mile, so although he might have a break and come back
for an autumn campaign there is the possibility that he could run in the (Group 1) Prix
Jacques le Marois (at Deauville on August 11).”
Morandi’s owner Daniel-Yves Treves was heartened by the improved performance
of the runner-up, who had failed to shine over a mile on two starts since his
emphatic success in the Criterium
de Saint-Cloud.
“Hats off to the winner, as he is a very good horse and I am
happy for my friends the Wertheimers,” he said. “Our horse is back to his best
and is definitely better at this distance — he could be better over a mile and a
half, so we’ll look forward to the rest of the season.”
Right before the French Derby, Peace Burg was the freshest among a group of
the best three-year-old miling fillies in France entered in the Group 2 Prix de
Sandringham.
Keen early
toward the fore, the bay daughter of Sageburg settled in third for Soumillon after favored rival
What a Name had tugged her way to the front. Taking over approaching the
furlong pole, Peace Burg made the decisive move there as the strong closer Topaze
Blanche ran out of time with her challenge.
“After her first run I passed on the
Poule d’Essai des Pouliches in order to target this race and I am very
happy it worked out,” trainer Jacques Heloury said. “She is a fighter, as I think a mile is as
far as she wants to go and she had to really dig deep to hold on. I love this
kind of horse and there may be better to come. I could shorten her up or stay at
a mile and take her to Deauville for the (Group 1) Prix Rothschild (on July 28).”
Topaze
Blanche’s chance was undone again by the tepid tempo and her trainer Carlos
Laffon-Parias was philosophical afterward.
“We feared beforehand that there
would be a lack of pace and unfortunately that is exactly what happened,” he
said.
Peace Burg entered the race on the back of a 59-day break following
her fourth in the Prix Imprudence going seven furlongs at Maisons-Laffitte on
April 4. Last term she had advertised her class when
beating the subsequent Group 1 performer Alterite in a
conditions event over 7 1/2 furlongs at Deauville in August before annexing the
Prix d’Aumale over this track and trip the following month.
She was a touch
unlucky when fifth in the Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp on Arc day, but
appeared to have no excuses in her first start for the Jean-Claude Rouget stable
when fourth to What a Name in the Imprudence.
One race following the French Derby, Now We Can was full of enthusiasm early as he
tanked his way into second tracking
Remus de la Tour in the Group 2 Grand Prix de Chantilly. He eventually found an easy rhythm but was caught flat-footed
inside the final quarter as the long-time leader began the sprint to the line.
Fighting
hard in between that rival and Haya Landa, the Acatenango four-year-old gained the lead with 50 meters
remaining and had his head down first among the five-horse blanket.
“He is a
very
courageous horse who is a bit lazy in the mornings,” trainer Nicolas Clement
said. “He stays very well and has improved with every run. The (Group 1)
Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (on June 23) might come a bit soon and he has entries in German
Group
1 races, which he might take up as his owner is German, but long-term the aim is
the (Group 1) Melbourne Cup (November 5).”
Unbeaten since his debut defeat at Longchamp last May, Now We Can earned a tilt
at black-type with a six-length conditions win going 14 1/2 furlongs in his
March 22 seasonal bow on the Polytrack at Chantilly. Proving up to the
test by annexing the Prix Lord Seymour over this trip back at Longchamp on
April 18, the bay continued his
forward progression in this prestigious affair.
The group action got underway in the Group 2 Prix du Gros-Chene, which was
captured by Spirit Quartz. Showing bright early speed from his wide berth to stalk the
trail-blazing Hamish McGonagall just off the rail, the Invincible Spirit bay took over on the bridle at halfway
and kept enough in reserve to hold
the strong-finishing Catcall.
“He didn’t quite run his race last time, but
bounced back today and will run in the (Group 1)
King’s Stand S. (at Royal Ascot on June 18) next,” trainer Robert Cowell said.
“Longer-term, we’d like to come back
for the (Group 1) Prix de l’Abbaye (at Longchamp on October 6) as the ground was too soft for
him last year and it came at the
end of a long season.”
Establishing himself among the better sprinters in Europe last term when
runner-up in Goodwood’s King George and the Nunthorpe at York in August, Spirit Quartz had
not fired on all cylinders so far
this season when fifth in both the May 4 Palace House at Newmarket and Temple at Haydock
three weeks later.
The well-regarded Eleuthera wrapped up the group events on the day with
victory in the Group 3 Prix de Royaumont. Settled with
only one behind early by the little-known Eddy Hardouin, the Spirit One
sophomore miss was traveling best
of all early in the stretch and
delivered a sustained surge to overhaul Orion Love with 150 meters remaining.
“This was not a surprise to me at
all, as I always believed in her,” trainer Philippe Demercastel explained. “I
knew a mile and a half would suit her
well and she goes on any ground. Her jockey is not yet among the top riders in
France, but will be soon. All being
well, she will go for the (Group 2) Prix de Malleret (at Saint-Cloud on June 23).”
Seemingly exposed entering this test, Eleuthera had proven
black-type form and this
breakthrough success was not the upset the tote returns suggested. Fourth in the
March 16 Prix Rose de Mai going 10
furlongs at Saint-Cloud, the chestnut was the chief victim of the
interference caused by Orion Love that
resulted in her being promoted a place from fifth in that venue’s Prix
Penelope over another 100 meters a
month later.
In her third visit to that track for the May 15 Prix Cleopatre,
she was third to Baltic Baroness and came here to settle old scores with the filly that had
cost her in the Penelope.