QUEEN FOR A DAY
Becomin the third filly in six years to come off the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and win the G1 Coronation S. on Friday, Qemah (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) was on the money to provide Al Shaqab Racing with a top-level Royal Ascot victory that is the life source of any major bloodstock operation. Too anxious for her own good when third in the Classic over Deauville's straight mile last time May 15, the bay took a step forward under a confident Gregory Benoist to provide trainer Jean-Claude Rouget with back-to-back renewals following the exploits of Ervedya (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) 12 months ago. Anchored towards the rear early but keen without cover, the 6-1 shot swooped on the lead with a furlong remaining and had 1 3/4 lengths to spare over Nemoralia (More Than Ready) at the line, with a short head back to the unlucky Alice Springs (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). “This is my first winner at Royal Ascot and it is like a dream,” Benoist said. “There is too much emotion. We tried to get a good position, but the pace was a bit fast for me so I took my time and she has a furlong-long finish which is very fast. In the French Guineas, there wasn't a great pace and she couldn't quicken but today she was more relaxed. The main thing with this filly is pace. She needs a strong pace.”
Friday, Royal Ascot, Britain
CORONATION S.-G1, £400,000, ASC, 6-17, 3yo, f, 8fT, 1:40.56, sf.
1–&QEMAH (IRE), 126, f, 3, by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
1st Dam: Kartica (GB) (GSP-Fr, $132,100), by Rainbow Quest
2nd Dam: Cayman Sunset (Ire), by Night Shift
3rd Dam: Robinia, by Roberto
(€200,000 Ylg '14 ARAUG). O-Al Shaqab Racing; B-Haras du Cadran, SCEA Bissons & SAS IEI (IRE); T-Jean Claude Rouget; J-Gregory Benoist. £226,840. Lifetime Record: GSW & MG1SP-Fr, 6-3-1-2, $488,764. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.[bullet ad=”itm-g1″][bullet ad=”mandore-purchased-by”]2–Nemoralia, 126, f, 3, More Than Ready–Alina, by Came Home. ($140,000 Wlg '13 KEENOV; $120,000 RNA Ylg '14 KEESEP; $170,000 2yo '15 OBSMAR). O-T Allan, J Lovat & C Pigram; B-Alberta Davies (KY); T-Jeremy Noseda. £86,000.[bullet ad=”eaton-sold”][bullet ad=”woodstock-thrived”][bullet ad=”warrendale-sold-congratulations-to-all-the-connections”][bullet ad=”us-bred-ky-bred-keen-grad”]3–Alice Springs (Ire), 126, f, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Aleagueoftheirown (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). (550,000gns Ylg '14 TATOCT). O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Lynch-Bages & Longfield Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £43,040.[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]Margins: 1 3/4, HD, 3/4. Odds: 6.00, 4.00, 8.00.
Also Ran: Now or Never (Ire), Promising Run, Ashadihan (GB) & Jet Setting (Ire), Tanaza (Ire), Nathra (Ire), Besharah (Ire), Fireglow (GB), Marenko (GB), Czabo (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
After an inauspicious start to her career when sixth to the TDN Rising Star Antonoe (First Defence) over 7 1/2 furlongs at Deauville in August, Qemah progressed to beat the eventual listed performer Doha Dream (Fr) (Shamardal) over 8 1/2 furlongs at Longchamp in September before staying on into third behind Ballydoyle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Turret Rocks (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) in the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac over this trip back there on Arc day. Impressive when successful in the G3 Prix de la Grotte on her return at Chantilly Apr. 20, she was lit up in the preliminaries and was never in a real rhythm on the straight track at Deauville when third behind her stablemate La Cressonniere (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) in the Pouliches.
Trapped outside of the group throughout the early stages as the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Jet Setting (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}) took up her customary position in charge, Qemah raced typically freely but Gregory Benoist was unperturbed and stayed at the back with Nemoralia and Alice Springs on his inner. Tucked in behind Now Or Never (Ire) (Bushranger {Ire}) at the top of the straight for a breather, she was on the heels of the right rival as that filly took over from Jet Setting inside the last quarter mile. Set alight soon after, the French raider was quickly past and in command of Nemoralia as Ryan Moore wrested Alice Springs from her pocket too late for her to make a true race of it. “I was very confident for this race after the French Guineas, because she needs a turn and she is top-class,” Jean-Claude Rouget said. “She won easily in the Prix de la Grotte, but was very nervous at Deauville and didn't run her race. For me to do this double in this race is a child's dream–it's the best racing in the world.” Al Shaqab's racing adviser Harry Herbert added, “Jean-Claude was confident. He was cross after the French 1000 Guineas that although he won the race, this filly beat herself and I thought she was going to do the same thing this afternoon. Gregory got her settled and she was travelling so well. She's quickened like a smart filly and beat a wonderful field of fillies. It's been a great week and a great year to remember. She's in the [G1] Falmouth [S. at Newmarket July 8]. Whether that comes too soon, who knows? I think we'll let the dust settle. She's put a lot in today on pretty testing ground.”
For connections of Nemoralia, there was a mixture of delight and frustration after their well-documented misfortune with regards to the rainfall. Part-owner Charlie Pigram said, “She has run her heart out, so second in a group 1 is no travesty. If it was firm today, she wins and we beat an Irish 1000 winner but Qemah is a good horse. Maybe she needs rest now, as Jeremy Noseda got her 110% for this and the only reason we have gone for it was that she was at the top of her game. She has beaten 12 horses, but couldn't beat that one. She'll be amazing on fast ground.” Noseda added, “I'm delighted with her run. We took a chance on the ground and she ran great, so I can't complain. The conditions were what they were and she gave it her best shot to finish second. There'll be days for her on fast ground. We'll get her home and then make a decision about where we go from there.” Jet Setting's jockey Shane Foley was looking for reasons for the flop of the 9-4 favourite, who eventually faded to dead-heat for sixth. “She jumped and travelled, but she didn't pick up that well,” he explained. “It might be that she's coming into season, while she had a tough race at the Curragh.”
Qemah's dam, whose best run came when third in the G3 Prix Fille de l'Air, is a daughter of Cayman Sunset, an English highweight who captured the Dahlia S. when it carried only listed status before finishing third in the GII Canadian H. She is in turn a sister to the G3 Beresford S. third Tarfaa (Ire) (Night Shift) from the family of the GII Lexington S.-winning sire Royal Roberto. Still to come from Kartica are a 2-year-old filly by Henrythenavigator named Niedziela (Ire) and a yearling colt by Lawman (Fr).
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