LONGCHAMP DOUBLE FOR JUDDMONTE SIRES

Article taken from the EBN

It was a memorable day at Longchamp for Juddmonte yesterday, with OASIS DREAM siring the winner of the Gr.1 Prix du Moulin and his stud companion at Banstead Manor, DANSILI, responsible for the winner of the Gr.3 Prix du Pin, as well as the Moulin runner-up.

The William Haggas-trained Aqlaam (OASIS DREAM) was one of two British-trained winners among the quartet of French Group contests when securing victory in the Prix du Moulin. The field was reduced by one, as Poule d’Essai des Pouliches heroine Elusive Wave (Elusive City) reared and refused to race.

Gladiatorus (Silic) cut out the early pace and Aqlaam took over with around 300m to go, finishing strongly to score by a length and a half from Famous Name (DANSILI). Owned by Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, the four-year-old was bred by Granham Farm and purchased by Shadwell for 260,000gns at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale. Granham Farm offer his yearling Cape Cross half-sister through Voute Sales at this year’s Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book One.

Aqlaam (OASIS DREAM) won last season’s Gr.3 Jersey Stakes but was not seen again due to suffering first from a chip in his knee, then a hairline fracture in his pelvis. He made his comeback in this spring’s Gr.1 Juddmonte Lockinge Stakes behind Virtual (whom he beat into third yesterday) and was third to Paco Boy (Desert Style) in the Gr.1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot before landing the Gr.2 Summer Mile at Ascot. He was six lengths second to Goldikova (Anabaa) in the Gr.1 Prix du Haras de Fresnayle-Buffard Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville last time out and is likely to return to Ascot for the Gr.1 Queen Eliabeth II Stakes later this month.
His dam, Bourbonella (RAINBOW QUEST), is an unraced half-sister to the heroic stayer Persian Punch (Persian Heights).

Earlier, Juddmonte’s homebred Proviso (DANSILI) got up to snatch the 1400m Gr.3 Prix du Pin from the early leader Varenar (Rock of Gibraltar) in a close three-way finish. It was the second Group success for the Andre Fabre trained filly, who took the Gr.3 Prix du Calvados and was second in the Gr.1 Meon Valley Stud Fillies’ Mile in her two-year-old days, and was fourth to the mighty Zarkava (ZAMINDAR) in last season’s Prix de Diane. A return to Longchamp for October’s Gr.1 Prix de la Foret could be next on the agenda.

Date: 07 September 2009