Frankel’s Call the Wind Takes the Cadran

[Wandering Eyes]

There was little evidence that Call the Wind (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was a marathon runner before Saturday, but Freddy Head saw something in George Strawbridge’s homebred that suggested the G1 Qatar Prix du Cadran would be appropriate and he duly delivered on a black-type debut to remember. Sent off at 13-2 on the back of a convincing conditions success over 13 1/2 furlongs at Deauville Aug. 24, the chestnut was subjected to a masterclass as Aurelien Lemaitre sought to contain his obvious enthusiasm behind the leading duo. Sandwiched between the G2 Prix Kergorlay second and third Holdthasigreen (Fr) (Hold That Tiger) and Morgan Le Faye (GB) (Shamardal) respectively as the trio made the last effort for home, the half-brother to the previous group 1-winning Dansili (GB) pair of With You (GB) and We Are (Ire) stayed on best to score by 1 1/4 lengths and a short head. “I wasn’t that confident, as I felt that he wouldn’t last over such a long trip after pulling so hard,” Head commented. “The rhythm was quite different from his previous races, but the jockey rode a good race and did well to isolate him at one stage to help him breathe and relax. He kept finding more and really ran away at the end.

Beginning his career only this year at the western provincial venue of Machecoul, Call the Wind began to show promise on his fourth maiden start when third over 14 furlongs here June 14 and returned from a break to break his duck over a mile and a half at Clairefontaine Aug. 10. Totally unexposed in a weak renewal of this “French Gold Cup”, he proved that being in the right place at the right time is all-important in a staying division that tends to fluctuate in strength in depth. His trainer revealed that a major team effort had gone into making the blueblood the performer he now is. “He has not been an easy horse to train–early in his career he wouldn’t go in the starting stalls and showed a lot of bad temperament, so we had to geld him,” Head explained. “First time, he went to Machecoul as they have no starting stalls there and little by little, he got used to racing. We did a lot of work on him and he kept improving, but I didn’t know he would be up to this standard or capable of staying this far. If you don’t try, you don’t find out. He comes from a great family and the dam now has three group one winners. Of course, he will stay in training next year and we have to think about the Ascot Gold Cup.”

In Clover (GB) (Inchinor {GB}), who captured the G3 Prix de Flore over 10 1/2 furlongs for these connections, has proven a revelation as a broodmare. Her first classy runner was Dream Clover (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who raced at or around a mile and registered two listed successes and was third in the G3 Prix de Lieurey, while the aforementioned We Are took the G1 Prix de l’Opera. Incahoots (GB), another daughter of Oasis Dream, was also a listed scorer while Call the Wind’s year-younger half-sister With You had enough pace to capture the G1 Prix Rothschild in July and place in the G1 Prix Saint Alary and G1 Prix Jacques le Marois. Frankel’s influence for stamina is obvious here, bringing out the staying power evident under the second dam, the G3 Prix de Royaumont winner Bellarida (Fr) (Bellypha {Ire}). Also connected to the G1 Hong Kong Vase hero Dominant (Ire) (Cacique {Ire}), In Clover also has a yearling colt by Dansili and a colt foal by Dubawi (Ire).

Saturday, ParisLongchamp, France
QATAR PRIX DU CADRAN-G1, €300,000, ParisLongchamp, 10-6, 4yo/up, 20fT, 4:24.41, g/s.
1–CALL THE WIND (GB), 128, g, 4, by Frankel (GB)
     1st Dam: In Clover (GB) (GSW-Fr, $222,716), by Inchinor (GB)
     2nd Dam: Bellarida (Fr), by Bellypha (Ire)
     3rd Dam: Lerida (Fr), by Riverman
1ST GROUP 1 WIN; 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-George Strawbridge (GB); T-Freddy Head; J-Aurelien Lemaitre. €171,420. Lifetime Record: 5-3-1-0, €289,250. *1/2 to We Are (Ire), G1SW-Fr, $437,651; to With You (GB) (Dansili {GB}), G1SW-Fr, $468,154, to Dream Clover (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), MSW & GSP-Fr, $163,406; & to Incahoots (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), SW-Fr. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Holdthasigreen (Fr), 128, g, 6, Hold That Tiger–Greentathir (Fr), by Muhtathir (GB). O/B-Jean Gilbert & Claude Le Lay (FR); T-Bruno Audouin. €68,580.
3–Morgan Le Faye (GB), 125, f, 4, Shamardal–Molly Malone (Fr), by Lomitas (GB). (€350,000 Ylg ’15 ARAUG). O-Godolphin SNC; B-Dieter Burkle (GB); T-Andre Fabre. €34,290.
Margins: 1 1/4, SHD, 9. Odds: 6.50, 1.30, 3.60.
Also Ran: Line Des Ongrais (Fr), Mille Et Mille (GB), Max Dynamite (Fr), Nardo (Fr), Montaly (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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