FREDERIC ROSSI CELEBRATE FIRST CLASSIC WIN WITH THE POULE D’ESSAI DES POULICHES, GR.1

After some 25 years as a trainer, Frédéric Rossi celebrated his first Classic success, and first at Gr.1 level, when the Siyouni filly Dream And Do landed the Gr.1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches, becoming the fourth French Classic winner sired by Haras de Bonneval’s son of Pivotal.

A Gr.3 winner last season, Haras du Logis Saint Germain’s homebred filly was beaten by Tropbeau (Showcasing) three weeks ago, but reversed the form of that contest by some three lengths. It was another Siyouni filly, Marieta, who set the pace, followed by Tickle Me Green (Sea The Moon) and the favourite Tropbeau. As the race hotted up, Dream And Do surged into the lead with 300m to go, while Speak Of The Devil (Wootton Bassett) had to be pulled off the rails and into clear space to make her move. She closed down on the leader all the way to the line, but fell a nose short of victory, while her Fabrice Chappet stablemate Megeva (Wootton Bassett) stayed on well to pip Tropbeau for third.

The winning trainer commented: “Deauville racecourse brings me a lot of luck! I love coming here. This is very emotional, as it is my first Gr.1. Dream and Do is a champion. Every time she runs, the race goes like a dream. The mile is her maximum distance and Maxime Guyon rode her to perfection. I will talk to her owner, but I don’t think that she will run in the Prix de Diane. We don’t want to risk her.”

The winner is certainly bred for glory on her extended catalogue page. Her Stakes-placed third dam Somfas (What A Pleasure) is a half-sister to the champion Fanfreluche (Northern Dancer), whose many Gr.1-winning descendents include the likes of the sires Flying Spur, Encosta De Lago and Holy Roman Emperor. This branch of the family is that of the Group-winning trio and sires Snaadee (Danzig), Russian Bond (Danzig) and Cristofori (Fappiano), the German Horse of the Year and sire Ransom O’ War (Red Ransom) and the triple Gr.1-winning miler and sire Charm Spirit (Invincible Spirit).

Dream And Do was led out unsold for €80,000 at the Arqana August Yearling Sale as the first foal of a Librettist mare who had failed to win in nine outings and had changed hands three times at public auction, for prices ranging from 1,000gns, when her relative Charm Spirit was an unraced two-year-old, to 80,000gns, by which time he had won three Gr.1s and she was carrying this Siyouni filly in utero. Siyouni, who has been standing this season for €100,000, has also sired the 2015 Gr.1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches victrix Ervedya, the 2018 Gr.1 Prix de Diane winner Laurens and last year’s Gr.1 Prix du Jockey Club hero Sottsass.