TDN Rising Star Pierre Lapin Takes the Mill Reef

[Wandering Eyes]

In the shadows following his sparkling debut success over six furlongs at Haydock May 24, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum’s TDN Rising Star Pierre Lapin (Ire) (Cappella Sansevero {GB}) re-emerged to make his class tell in Saturday’s G2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef S. at Newbury. Always travelling well within himself just off the early pace, the 9-4 joint-favourite tanked to the front at halfway and stayed on strongly in the closing stages to account for the other joint-favourite Mystery Power (Ire) (No Nay Never) by 1 1/2 lengths. In doing so, he emulated his half-brother Harry Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) who took this in 2016. “He’s confirmed that he is a very nice horse and one to definitely get excited about,” trainer Roger Varian commented. “He’s been a delicate horse since his win and to tell you the truth, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect today.”

Pierre Lapin is one ahead of Harry Angel at this stage of his career, having won on his debut whereas his high-class half-sibling came to this as a maiden. There was a genuine sense that he did this on raw ability alone, as Varian was keen to stress before the race that he had not asked any serious questions in the lead-up and was using this to have some questions answered. “I’d have loved to have run him in the summer, but I couldn’t,” he added. “He was not unsound, he just took time but he came good in the last two or three weeks at home and I am delighted to see a performance like that. I’ll speak to the owner and get his view, but the most important thing is to see how he comes out of this race. We can get really excited about next year. The Middle Park is only next week, so that’s too quick. Another question is whether we go up to seven furlongs or he sticks to six, so there are a lot of questions to answer.”

By Showcasing’s first-season sire Cappella Sansevero, Pierre Lapin was the Bridge House Stud resident’s first winner at Haydock and is very much his flag-bearer so far. The dam Beatrix Potter (Ire) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}), whose yearling full-sister to the G1 July Cup and G1 Haydock Sprint Cup hero Harry Angel is due to sell at the upcoming Goffs Orby Sale, is a half to the dual G1 Champions Mile-winning sire Xtension (Ire) (Xaar {GB}) and the listed-placed dam of the dual listed scorer Mrs Gallagher (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}). As a measure of her raised profile, Beatrix Potter whose family also features the GI Donn H. hero Stephen Got Even (A.P. Indy) was bred to Justify for 2020 in what could be a fascinating mix.

Saturday, Newbury, Britain
DUBAI DUTY FREE MILL REEF S.-G2, £75,000, Newbury, 9-21, 2yo, 6fT, 1:10.90, g/f.
1–PIERRE LAPIN (IRE), 127, c, 2, by Cappella Sansevero (GB)
    1st Dam: Beatrix Potter (Ire), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB)
    2nd Dam: Great Joy (Ire), by Grand Lodge
    3rd Dam: Cheese Soup, by Spectacular Bid
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. (140,000gns Ylg ’18 TATOCT). O-Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum; B-CBS Bloodstock (IRE); T-Roger Varian; J-Andrea Atzeni. £42,533. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $61,314. *1/2 to Harry Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Hwt. 3yo-Eur at 5-7f, Hwt. 3yo-Eng at 5-7f, MG1SW-Eng, $1,142,883. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Mystery Power (Ire), 130, c, 2, No Nay Never–Gems (GB), by Haafhd (GB). (€110,000 Wlg ’17 GOFNOV; 250,000gns Ylg ’18 TAOCT). O-King Power Racing Co Ltd; B-Ms Siobhan O’Rahilly (IRE); T-Richard Hannon. £16,125.
3–Shadn (Ire), 124, f, 2, No Nay Never–Amethyst (Ire), by Sadler’s Wells. (€16,000 Wlg ’17 GOFNOV; £42,000 Ylg ’18 TASAYG). O-Alrabban Racing; B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-Andrew Balding. £8,070.
Margins: 1HF, HF, 3/4. Odds: 2.25, 2.25, 8.00.
Also Ran: Royal Commando (Ire), Malotru (GB), Firepower (Fr), Mr Kiki (Ire), Impressor (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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