Wootton Bassett’s The Black Album Prevails in Rochette Thriller

[Wandering Eyes]

   Unconsidered as the 33-2 outsider of six in Sunday’s G3 Prix La Rochette at ParisLongchamp, Didier Bouquil and Florent Guy’s The Black Album (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) belied those lofty odds and caused a mighty stir with a battling perfomance to take this seven-furlong staging post to the Oct. 7 G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere over one mile back at the Bois-de-Boulogne venue. The homebred bay garnered the latter two of three six-furlong starts at La Teste de Buch before finishing just off the board when upped to seven panels in Deauville’s Aug. 12 Listed Prix Francois Boutin last time. Racing in a close second after an alert getaway, he loomed large in the straight before gaining a narrow advantage approaching the final eighth and was driven out in the closing stages to bravely hold on for a career high in a bunch finish. At the line, he had a short head to spare from Toijk (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) with 9-5 chalk Ecolo (Fr) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) a head further back in third. “We already knew he needed further before winning over six [furlongs] in his third start at La Teste and that’s why we ran him in the Francois Boutin,” explained trainer Jane Soubagne. “I wasn’t disappointed with his run that day because his jockey revealed he was difficult to steer and we subsequently found he had a problem with his teeth. It required a minor operation to rectify and he did not hang at all today. Of course, the Jean-Luc Lagardere is a logical step and I wouldn’t be afraid of running him over a mile, but we need to supplement him for that. We’ll see how he is and shall come to a decision in time.”

   The Black Album is the latest foal and first black-type winner for Model Black (Ire) (Trade Fair {GB}), herself kin to MGSW G2 Sandown Mile and G2 Champagne S. hero Trumpet Major (Ire) (Arakan). His third dam is G2 Preis der Diana-winning German highweight Risen Raven (Risen Star), herself the second dam of Listed Gran Premio d’Italia victor Rastignano (Ire) (Spartacus {Ire}). Risen Raven is also a half-sister to Listed Pasadena S. victrix Agotaras (Saratoga Six) and Listed Tanya S. winner and G2 Potrero Grande Breeders’ Cup H. runner-up Russian Bride (Saratoga Six). The latter is in turn the granddam of GI Dixiana Breeders’ Futurity heroine We Miss Artie (Artie Schiller).

Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
PRIX LA ROCHETTE-G3, €80,000, ParisLongchamp, 9-2, 2yo, 7fT, 1:24.86, g/s.
1–THE BLACK ALBUM (FR), 126, c, 2, by Wootton Bassett (GB)
1st Dam: Model Black (Ire), by Trade Fair (GB)
2nd Dam: Ashford Cross (GB), by Cape Cross (Ire)
3rd Dam: Risen Raven, by Risen Star
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O-Didier Bouquil & Florent Guy; B-Didier Bouquil (FR); T-Jane Soubagne; J-Mickael Barzalona. €40,000. Lifetime Record: 5-3-0-1, €75,200. Werk Nick Rating: First SW from this cross. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Toijk (Fr), 126, c, 2, Siyouni (Fr)–Eire (GB), by Medicean (GB). O/B-Lutz Bongen (FR); T-Markus & Stephanie Nigge. €16,000.
3–Ecolo (Fr), 126, c, 2, Invincible Spirit (Ire)–Never Green (Ire), by Halling. O/B-Wertheimer & Frere (FR); T-Carlos Laffon-Parias. €12,000.
Margins: SHD, HD, 3/4. Odds: 16.50, 6.00, 1.80.
Also Ran: Lily’s Candle (Fr), Delaware (GB), We Go (Fr). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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