Areion’s Alson Prevails in Criterium Match

[Wandering Eyes]

   Already shorn of G1 Dewhurst S. third Wichita (Ire) (No Nay Never), Sunday’s G1 Criterium International at ParisLongchamp was reduced to a match race when Phoenix Thoroughbred Ltd’s recent acquisition Lady Penelope (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) reared in the stalls, leaving Gestut Schlenderhan’s Alson (Ger) (Areion {Ger}) and Susan Magnier’s dual Group 1 placegetter Armory (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) to duel for Europe’s penultimate juvenile top-level event of the season. The pair were separated by a short neck when contesting the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere over one mile at the Bois de Boulogne venue on Arc day earlier this month, but it was the Aug. 31 G3 Zukunftsrennen victor who extended his margin of superiority with a daylight score in this seven-furlong test. Armory broke well and enjoyed a slender advantage during the opening exchanges before Alson seized control and led thereafter. Untroubled throughout, the 1-2 pick was shaken up soon after passing the quarter-mile marker and lengthened ever clear before gearing down to defeat his sole rival by a facile 20 lengths.

   It was a pyrrhic victory for conditioner Jean-Pierre Carvalho, who explained, “I was informed that Gestut Schlenderhan is closing its training establishment in Germany and I won’t be training for the operation any more. There had been rumours for a while and it became official last week. The horses will be spread across trainers in France and Germany and I’ve been told Alson will be transferred to Andre Fabre, but I don’t if that’s true or not. I shall continue training for my other clients, but I need to find a new base.” Reflecting on the winner’s performance, Carvalho continued, “It’s a great moment to win a Group 1 race and the best way for me to go out on a high note. Alson was the legitimate favourite and he obliged in style. I would have preferred more runners in the race, but I shall nonetheless savour the moment.” Winning rider Frankie Dettori, who claimed a 19th Group 1 victory of the year with the win, added, “Both horses had form from the Jean-Luc Lagardere, but I thought Armory would make it more of a contest. We had his measure by halfway and it was like a piece of exercise for my fellow in the straight. He stays well, he enjoyed the [very heavy] ground and I imagine he’ll be a horse for the [G1 Poule d’Essai des] Poulains next year.”

   Alson, one of two scorers for dual winner Assisi (Ger) (Galileo {Ire}), becomes the first Group 1 winner for his sire (by Big Shuffle) and is kin to last term’s G2 German 2000 Guineas and G2 Oettingen-Rennen hero Ancient Spirit (Ger) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), a yearling colt by Guiliani (Ire) and a 2019 colt by Holy Roman Emperor (Ire). The homebred bay’s unbeaten G1 Preis der Diana-winning second dam Amarette (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) produced two stakes performers and is herself a full-sister to G1 Prix du Jockey Club third Arras (Ger) and a half to the stakes-winning dam of G1 Melbourne Cup and G1 H E Tancred S. hero Almandin (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}) and G2 Gerling-Preis victor Atempo (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}).

Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
CRITERIUM INTERNATIONAL-G1, €250,000, ParisLongchamp, 10-27, 2yo, c/f, 7fT, 1:28.61, vhy.
1–ALSON (GER), 126, c, 2, by Areion (Ger)
1st Dam: Assisi (Ger), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Amarette (Ger), by Monsun (Ger)
3rd Dam: Avocette (Ger), by Kings Lake
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O/B-Gestut Schlenderhan (GER); T-Jean-Pierre Carvalho; J-Filip Minarik. €142,850. Lifetime Record: 6-4-1-0, €289,010. *1/2 to Ancient Spirit (Ger) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Hwt. 3yo-Ger at 7-9f, MGSW-Ger, GSP-Ire & Ity, $221,685. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Armory (Ire), 126, c, 2, Galileo (Ire)–After (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). O-Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O’Brien. €57,150.
Margins: 20. Odds: 0.50, 0.90.
Scratched: Wichita (Ire), Lady Penelope (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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