Dubawi’s Bateel Takes the Corrida in Saint-Cloud Return

[Wandering Eyes]

   Faced with conditions sounder than ideal, Bateel (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) nonetheless entered Monday’s G2 Prix Corrida with much the best form on offer and justified majority support at the tills with a commanding performance in her seasonal return. The bay enjoyed a fruitful apprenticeship with David Simcock until last year, winning four of eight starts for the Newmarket-based conditioner, before relocating to Francis-Henri Graffard and posting wins in Haydock’s June 10 G3 Pinnacle S., Deauville’s Aug. 6 G2 Prix de Pomone and Chantilly’s Sept. 10 G1 Prix Vermeille. She closed the campaign with a second to Hydrangea (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in Ascot’s Oct. 21 G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares last time. The eventual winner was gradually shuffled back through the pack to sit fifth at halfway after breaking sharply and racing handy initially. Slipping one more spot on the home turn and nudged along at the top of the straight, she quickened smartly to challenge with 300 metres remaining and ran on strongly for continued urging in the closing stages to register a fifth black-type triumph. “I knew she was well and fit enough to do herself justice in this first run of the year,” Graffard said. “She was fresh and a little keen, but still managed to win in very good style. She’s a classy mare and we’ll see how she comes out of this before making a decision about what to do and where to go next. I imagine the locigal step would be to bring her back here for the [July 1 G1] Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.”
   Bateel is the leading performer produced by G2 Pretty Polly S. second Attractive Crown (Chief’s Crown) and she is a half-sister to Listed Prix Charles Laffitte victrix Basemah (Fr) (Lemon Drop Kid). Her second dam is Listed Prix des Lilas heroine and G3 Prix de Sandringham runner-up Attirance (Fr) (Crowned Prince), whose other descendants include MSW Scandinavian champion Angel Light (Swe) (Most Welcome {GB}). Attirance is herself kin to G1 Prix Lupin runner-up and G2 Prix Greffulhe-winning sire Arokar (Fr) (Akarad {Fr}) and to Listed Prix Le Fabuleux victress La Tirana (Fr) (Akarad {Fr}), who in turn is the second dam of G3 Prix Exbury scorer Court Canibal (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}). Attractive Crown’s last known produce is the 4-year-old colt Maqari (KSA) (Dutch Art {GB}), who won once in Saudi Arabia last year.

Monday, Saint-Cloud, France
PRIX CORRIDA-G2, €130,000, Saint-Cloud, 5-21, 4yo/up, f/m, 10 1/2fT, 2:10.88, gd.
1–BATEEL (IRE), 130, m, 6, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Attractive Crown (GSP-Ire), by Chief’s Crown
2nd Dam: Attirance (Fr), by Crowned Prince
3rd Dam: Arosa (GB), by Silver Shark
O-Al Asayl Bloodstock Ltd; B-Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nayhan (IRE); T-Francis-Henri Graffard; J-Pierre-Charles Boudot. €74,100. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Fr, GSW & G1SP-Eng, 14-8-3-0, €640,449. *1/2 to Basemah (Fr) (Lemon Drop Kid), SW-Fr. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Bebe d’Amour (Fr), 123, f, 4, Montmartre (Fr)–Prudence Royale (Fr), by Loup Solitaire. O/T-Jean-Yves Artu; B-Jean-Yves Artu, Damien Artu & Mlle Marie Artu (FR). €28,600.
3–Navaro Girl (Ire), 126, f, 4, Holy Roman Emperor (Ire)–Neele (Ire), by Peintre Celebre. O-Stall Nizza; B-Jurgen Imm (IRE); T-Peter Schiergen. €13,650.
Margins: 1 1/4, NK, SNK. Odds: 1.50, 8.80, 49.00.
Also Ran: Gaining (GB), Kitesurf (GB), Golden Legend (Fr), Listen In (Ire), Haggle (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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