By Tom Frary
Jerome Reynier began the 2026 Cagnes-sur-Mer festival with intent with a one-two in the opener led home by Al Rateel (Violence). Sent off the 7-5 favourite for the 7 1/2-furlong debutantes contest staged on the turf, Mustafa Bousaif's 100,000gns Tattersalls Guineas Breeze Up purchase was soon in front under Antonio Orani.
Finding plenty for pressure in the straight, the bay hit the line with 1 1/2 lengths to spare over stablemate Aspire (Zarak). “Al Rateel is a filly that we like a lot–I'd have preferred to start her in the 2,000 meters PSF race, but Antonio, who rides her in the mornings, told me that she has natural speed,” Reynier commented. “We may come back here for a class 2 over 1,600 metres, which is a good compromise. She has American origins and will be better on the sand.”
“As for Aspire, Antony [Crastus] got a really good feel from her,” he added of the runner-up. “She's very nice and I think she has a lot of room for improvement. We'll see her again in a fillies' maiden over this trip. She is a daughter of Zarak, so soft will not be a problem for her. They are two fillies that we hold in high esteem. Here at Cagnes, the conditions are optimal for my with my three-year-olds.”
The winner's Stakes-placed dam, who was also fourth in the GII Thoroughbred Club Of America Stakes and GIII Seaway Stakes for the Todd Pletcher barn, is the second dam of the Birdcatcher Stakes winner Grated Coconut (The Factor). A daughter of the GIII Tempted Stakes-placed Sisti's Pride (Forestry), she hails from the family of the multiple Grade I-winning champion turf female Rushing Fall (More Than Ready).
🇫🇷Prix De Caucade @hippocotdazur
Cagnes Sur Mer – Inédites – Pouliches – 3 ans – 1500m – 6 Pts – 21 000 €🏆Al Rateel (f3) 🏇Antonio Orani
📖(Violence (Usa) @HillnDaleFarm – Zermatt (Usa) par Tiznow (Usa))🕶️Jerome Reynier @EcurieReynier
🎩M.Bousaif… pic.twitter.com/kUExIIPTMQ— French and International Horse Racing (@Vincenzo0612) January 12, 2026
1st-Cagnes-sur-Mer, €21,000, Debutantes, 1-12, 3yo, f, 7 1/2fT, 1:33.18, vs.
AL RATEEL (f, 3, Violence–Zermatt {SP-US, $233,105}, by Tiznow) Sales history: $70,000 Wlg '23 KEENOV; $20,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP; 100,000gns 2yo '25 TATGNS. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, €10,500. O-Mustafa Bousaif; B-Blue Heaven Farm (KY); T-Jerome Reynier.
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