By Tom Frary
Francis-Henri Graffard can do no wrong at present and his irresistible run continued into the early Classic trials as Tajlina (GB) (Kingman {GB}) struck in Saturday's G3 Prix Penelope. A seven-length winner at Chantilly in mid-October before flopping in the Listed Prix Isonomy later that month, the Al Asayl homebred was slowly away for Mickael Barzalona after rearing in the stalls ahead of the 10 1/2-furlong Saint-Cloud prep. Staying on strongly in the style of her high-class dam Bateel (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), the 9-5 favourite asserted inside the final furlong for a 1 1/2-length success from Jones (Fr) (Elarqam {GB}).
Another talented type for @GraffardRacing at Saint-Cloud!
Bred to be very useful, Tajlina missed the break but quickened up smartly to land the Prix Penelope under Mickael Barzalona!🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/Cayi6K6Ygn
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) March 29, 2025
Graffard, who had won the opening conditions event and whose 3-year-olds have been dominating throughout the month, is hoping that the winner can follow family trends. “This is a filly I hold in high esteem and, like her dam, she will improve more with time,” he said. “I am also convinced that she will be at her best when we will stretch her over 1 1/2 miles, so we'll take our time before committing to a particular race.”
Pedigree Notes
This win for Tajlina came just a fortnight after her half-brother Map Of Stars (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) captured the track's G3 Prix Exbury, further enhancing the reputation of their four-times group-winning dam. Successful in the G1 Prix Vermeille, Bateel (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) who is out of the G2 Pretty Polly Stakes runner-up Attractive Crown (Chief's Crown) also has a colt foal by Wootton Bassett (GB).
Saturday, Saint-Cloud, France
PRIX PENELOPE-G3, €80,000, Saint-Cloud, 3-29, 3yo, f, 10 1/2fT, 2:18.91, vs.
1–TAJLINA (GB), 126, f, 3, by Kingman (GB)
1st Dam: Bateel (Ire) (G1SW-Fr, GSW & G1SP-Eng, $741,001), by Dubawi (Ire)
2nd Dam: Attractive Crown, by Chief's Crown
3rd Dam: Attirance (Fr), by Crowned Prince
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-Al Asayl France (GB); T-Francis-Henri Graffard; J-Mickael Barzalona. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 4-2-1-0, €70,500. *1/2 to Map Of Stars (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), GSW-Fr, $138,023. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Jones (Fr), 126, f, 3, Elarqam (GB)–Sans Peur (Fr), by Halling.
1ST BLACK-TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK-TYPE. (€9,000 2yo '24 ARQFEB). O-Herve Roux & Mme Didier Ricard; B-D & C Bloodstock Llp & C Wilson (FR); T-Stephane Cerulis. €16,000.
3–Kiamba (Ire), 126, f, 3, Australia (GB)–Kikonga (GB), by Danehill Dancer (Ire).
1ST GROUP BLACK-TYPE. O-Ecurie Elag, Mme A Garavaglia-Drion & Meridian International; B-Macha Bloodstock & Meridian International SARL (IRE); T-Mario Baratti. €12,000.
Margins: 1HF, HD, HD. Odds: 1.80, 17.00, 2.60.
Also Ran: Konada (Fr), Raoule (Ire), Cortella (Fr), Glamis Road (Ire), Felina (Fr).
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