By Tom Frary
So game when second in the G1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket three weeks ago, John Dance's Laurens (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) had to be every bit as tough again on Sunday to register a second top-level success in the G1 The Gurkha Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary at ParisLongchamp. Sent straight to the front by PJ McDonald, last year's G1 Fillies Mile and G2 May Hill S. heroine was tackled and briefly headed by Flowrider (Street Cry {Ire}) approaching the furlong pole and for a stride or two it looked as if she could capitulate. Rallying to see off that threat soon after, she had to take off the gloves as TDN Rising Star With You (GB) (Dansili {GB}) forged up her inner using the cutaway rail but the visiting 7-10 favourite proved equal to the task to score by a short head.
Trainer Karl Burke was every bit as relieved as he was delighted afterwards. “She'd definitely be better with a lead, but with today's small field and her long action and stride we knew it'd be difficult to get one,” he admitted. “The jockey told me she was sleeping in front and would have kicked himself if she'd been beaten. She is so brave and such a fighter. She trained well after the Guineas and the initial plan was to go for the Irish 1000 Guineas, but we feared fast ground at The Curragh. After the rain fell in Paris on Friday, we decided to come here instead. She has won a group 1 as a 2-year-old and a group 1 as a 3-year-old and we'll come back to France for the [June 17 G1] Prix de Diane [at Chantilly]. Two long road trips is perhaps too much for her in the space of three weeks, so next time we'll fly her over. I've not yet won a Classic, but she'll probably be favourite so it'll be fingers crossed on the day.”
With You's trainer Freddy Head will also be there for the rematch and he said of the runner-up, “I've got mixed feelings and am disappointed to see her beaten so narrowly, but delighted to see her run so well on her first start of the year. I've had all manner of problems with her and haven't been able to train her as I'd wished, so she should come on a lot for the run and we'll bring her back in the Diane.”
Laurens will undoubtedly get further than this 10-furlong trip in time, with her dam Recambe (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) a half-sister to the Hong Kong Derby hero Salford Mill (Ire) (Preintre Celebre). The third dam Raysiya (Ire) (Cure the Blues) is the second dam of the G1 Prix de l'Opera heroine Kinnaird (Ire) (Dr. Devious {Ire}). She in turn produced the G2 Royal Lodge S. scorer Berkshire (Ire) (Mount Nelson {GB}) and features as the second dam of the G2 July S. hero and G1 Middle Park S. runner-up Ivawood (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}) who was also third in both the G1 English and Irish 2000 Guineas.
Sunday, Longchamp, France
THE GURKHA COOLMORE PRIX SAINT-ALARY-G1, €250,000, ParisLongchamp, 5-27, 3yo, f, 10fT, 2:08.39, g/s.
1–LAURENS (FR), 126, f, 3, by Siyouni (Fr)
1st Dam: Recambe (Ire), by Cape Cross (Ire)
2nd Dam: Razana (Ire), by Kahyasi (Ire)
3rd Dam: Raysiya (Ire), by Cure the Blues
(£220,000 Ylg '16 GOUKPR). O-John Dance; B-Bloodstock Agency Ltd (FR); T-Karl Burke; J-P J McDonald. €142,850. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng, 6-4-2-0, €717,173. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”sold-by-coulonces-consignment-haras-du-grand-chene”]2–With You (GB), 126, f, 3, Dansili (GB)–In Clover (GB), by Inchinor (GB). O/B-George Strawbridge (GB); T-Freddy Head. €57,150.
3–Soustraction (Ire), 126, f, 3, Lope de Vega (Ire)–Mathematicienne (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). O/B-Wertheimer & Frere (IRE); T-Carlos Laffon-Parias. €28,575.
Margins: SHD, 2, NK. Odds: 0.70, 3.00, 8.00.
Also Ran: Flowrider, Tosen Gift (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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