Wootton Bassett's Henri Matisse Swoops Late For Poulains Glory

Representatives of Wootton Bassett's first Coolmore crop continued their plunder of elite-level contests with last term's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf hero Henri Matisse doubling his tally at the top table and registering a narrow victory, in track-record time, from Juddmonte's TDN Rising Star Jonquil (Lope De Vega) in Sunday's G1 Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains at ParisLongchamp.

The 12-5 favourite was positioned many lengths off the tempo as a group of five stole a march on the remainder of the field through halfway. Bustled along to reduce arrears upon turning for home, the eventual winner thundered forward to launch his challenge entering the final furlong and was driven out to withstand the rallying Jonquil by a head. The runner-up's fellow Rising Star and winner's stablemate Camille Pissarro (Wootton Bassett) flashed home late to finish a length adrift in third. The win provided trainer Aidan O'Brien with a sixth renewal of the one-mile Classic, five shy of Robert Denman's century-old record of 11.

“He's a horse that doesn't like to be in front too long and it was a nice, even pace,” the winning trainer commented. “We were hoping it was going to be like that, because he was going to be ridden back, and we're delighted with the outcome. When the pace is strong and even, usually if you have the best horse you have a chance. There was going to be no traffic for everybody, but when you're riding back you're never sure you're going to get there. I'm never confident, I'm always hopeful, but Ryan [Moore] gave him a brilliant ride. I think he could be a miler and we think that he's probably going to be a [G1] St James's Palace horse, but obviously the lads will decide that.”

Ryan Moore, who added to his lone prior victory aboard The Gurkha (Galileo) in 2016, added, “They went a good gallop and it sorted the race out. He travelled very well, very comfortable, he picked up well and I always felt like he was going to win. He's a horse with an awful lot of ability, he was good in America last year and he was good on his comeback. I think he's getting better and there's a chance he'll get further, but he's pacey and he's got a lot of gears.”

Reflecting on the performance of third home Camille Pissarro, O'Brien said, “Christophe [Soumillon] thought his horse could be a French Derby horse, so the lads will probably split them up and we'll see what happens.”

Pedigree Notes

Henri Matisse, one of his sire's 14 winners at the highest level, is the sixth of seven foals throne by Immortal Verse ((Pivotal), whose career highlights include victories in the G1 Coronation Stakes and G1 Prix Jacques Le Marois. Immortal Verse topped the sheets at Tattersalls' 2013 December Mares sale when knocked down for 4,700,000gns. She is the leading performer out of stakes-winning G3 Prix Fille de l'Air runner-up Side Of Paradise (Sadler's Wells), whose descendants include stakes-winning G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes runner-up Roseman (Kingman). Side Of Paradise is a full-sister to Listed Rose Bowl Stakes winner Flowerdrum as well as being a half-sister to multiple Group 1-winning sire Last Tycoon (Try My Best), G3 Prix du Bois victrix The Perfect Life (Try My Best) and dual G3 Goldene Peitsche-winning sire Astronef (Be My Guest). Side Of Paradise is also kin to the stakes-placed dam of G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches heroine Valentine Waltz (Be My Guest) and G1 Matron Stakes victrix Sense Of Style (Thunder Gulch). Black-type descendants of Henri Matisse's third dam Mill Princess (Ire) (Mill Reef) include top-level winners Hermosa (Galileo), Hydrangea (Galileo), The United States (Galileo) and Tie Black (Machiavellian). Immortal Verse, who has a yearling colt by Justify to come, is also the dam of G1 Cheveley Park Stakes heroine Tenebrism (Caravaggio) and G2 Airlie Stud Stakes victrix Statuette (Justify). She was bred back to Justify last year.

Henri Matisse takes the Poule d'Essai des Poulains!🏆 pic.twitter.com/1kMw0I4Z7N

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 11, 2025

Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
EMIRATES POULE D'ESSAI DES POULAINS-G1, €650,000, ParisLongchamp, 5-11, 3yo, c, 8fT, 1:33.91 (NTR), gd.
1–HENRI MATISSE (IRE), 128, c, 3, by Wootton Bassett (GB)
1st Dam: Immortal Verse (Ire) (G1SW-Eng & Fr, $1,053,873), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Side Of Paradise (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
3rd Dam: Mill Princess (Ire), by Mill Reef
O-Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith & Merriebelle Irish Farm Ltd; B-Immortal Verse Syndicate (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €371,410. Lifetime Record: GISW-US & MGSW-Ire, 8-6-1-0, €1,122,640. *1/2 to Tenebrism (Caravaggio), G1SW-Eng & Fr, SW & G1SP-Ire, $662,772; and Statuette (Justify), GSW-Ire. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Jonquil (GB), 128, c, 3, Lope De Vega (Ire)–Jovial (GB), by Dubawi (Ire). TDN Rising Star. 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. O-Juddmonte; B-Juddmonte Farms (East) Ltd (GB); T-Andrew Balding. €148,590.
3–Camille Pissarro (Ire), 128, c, 3, Wootton Bassett (GB)–Entreat (GB), by Pivotal (GB). TDN Rising Star. (1,250,000gns Ylg '23 TATOCT). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Mrs John Magnier & Peter M Brant; B-CN Farm Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €74,295.
Margins: HD, 1, SNK. Odds: 2.40, 7.00, 7.40.
Also Ran: Luther (GB), Ridari (Fr), Detain (Ire), Reach The Sky (Fr), Selenien (Fr), Sahlan (Ire), Houquetot (Ire), Heybetli (Ire), Aomori City (Fr), Dos Mukasan (Fr), Zarraf (Fr), Misunderstood (Fr), Serengeti (Fr). Scratched: Tipinso (Fr), Hotazhell (GB).