Laurens (horse)

Laurens
Sire Siyouni
Grandsire Pivotal
Dam Recambe
Damsire Cape Cross
Sex Filly
Foaled 12 April 2015[1]
Country France
Colour Bay
Breeder Bloodstock Agency Ltd
Owner John Dance
Trainer Karl Burke
Record 11: 8-2-0
Earnings £1,466,718
Major wins
May Hill Stakes (2017)
Fillies' Mile (2017)
Prix Saint-Alary (2018)
Prix de Diane (2018)
Matron Stakes (2018)
Sun Chariot Stakes (2018)

Laurens (foaled 12 April 2015) is a French-bred British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. In 2017 she won a minor event on her racecourse debut and then finished second to Polydream in the Prix du Calvados before her victories in the May Hill Stakes and Fillies' Mile. In the following year she ran second to Billesdon Brook in the 1000 Guineas and then embarked on a successful campaign in her native France, taking both the Prix Saint-Alary and the Prix de Diane. When tried over one and a half miles she failed to stay the distance in the Yorkshire Oaks but when brought back to one mile she upset Alpha Centauri in the Matron Stakes and then added a fifth Group 1 success when taking the Sun Chariot Stakes.

Background

Laurens is a big bay filly bred in France by Bloodstock Agency Ltd. She has a white star and snip as well as white socks on her left foreleg and right hind leg.[2] In August 2016 at Goffs the yearling filly was offered for sale and bought for £220,00 by Salcey Forest Stud on behalf of John Dance.[3] She was sent into training with Karl Burke at Middleham Moor in North Yorkshire. She has been ridden in most of her races by the former National Hunt jockey P J McDonald.

She was from the fourth crop of foals sired by the Aga Khan's stallion Siyouni whose biggest win came in the 2009 running of the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. His other offspring have included Ervedya, Le Brivido (Jersey Stakes), Siyoushake (Prix Perth), Spectre (Prix Imprudence), Volta (Prix de Sandringham), Bourree (Prix de Psyche), Finsbury Square (Prix de Meautry) and Trixia (Prix des Reservoirs).[4] Her dam Recambe showed no discernable racing ability, finishing unplaced in her five races[5] but was a half sister to the Newmarket Stakes and Hong Kong Derby winner Salford Mill (aka Helene Mascot). She was descended from the British broodmare Rose Ness (foaled 1965) who was the female-line ancestor of Daylami and Dalakhani.[6]

Racing career

2017: two-year-old season

Laurens made her debut in a maiden race over seven furlongs at Doncaster Racecourse on 20 July in which she started at odds of 9/2 and won by a neck from Exhort.[7] The filly was then sent to France and stepped up in class to contest the Prix du Calvados over 1400 metres at Deauville Racecourse a month later and finished second of the eleven runners, beaten one and three quarter lengths by the winner Polydream. On 14 September she started the 11/4 favourite for the May Hill Stakes over one mile at Doncaster, with the best of her opponents appearing to be Billesdon Brook, Nyaleti (winner of the Princess Margaret Stakes) and Tajaanus (Sweet Solera Stakes). After tracking the leaders, Laurens stayed on strongly in the closing stages and won in a "blanket finish" from Dark Rose Angel, Nyaleti and the Aidan O'Brien-trained Sizzling.[8]

A month later the filly was stepped up to Group 1 class for the Fillies' Mile at Newmarket Racecourse and stated at odds of 10/1 in an eleven-runner field. The Debutante Stakes winner Magical started favourite while the other fancied runners included September (Chesham Stakes), Efaadah, Nyaleti and Godolphin's Magic Lily. Laurens took an early lead, responded well when coming under pressure a furlong out, and held on to win by a nose from September.[9] Her trainer Karl Burke said "We always knew she would be a galloper rather than a speed horse at this stage of her career but, when we step up in distance next year, she’s going to be very good. She was a beautiful, classy-looking yearling and she has this fantastic action. She’s a bit like a ballerina and very light on her feet for a big filly and we’ve never had her off the bridle at home. I think the ideal race for her would be the Prix de Diane."[2]

In the official European Classification for 2017, Laurens was rated the fourth-best two-year-old filly of the season, behind Clemmie, Wild Illusion and Happily.[10]

2018: three-year-old season

On her three-year-old debut, Laurens started the 7/1 third choice in the betting for the 1000 Guineas over the Rowley Mile at Newmarket Racecourse on 6 May. She went to the front at halfway but was overtaken approaching the final furlong and beaten into second place by the 66/1 outsider Billesdon Brook.[11] She was then sent to France for the Prix Saint-Alary over 2000 metres at Longchamp Racecourse three weeks later and started the 7/10 favourite with the best of her opponents appearing to be the Prix des Reservoirs winner With You. After leading for most of the way she was overtaken by Flowrider on the outside and With You on the inside but rallied strongly to regain the advantage in the last 100 metres and defeated With You by a short head.[12] Karl Burke explained "we wanted to keep her relaxed and we probably overdid it. PJ said she was asleep the whole way round and, if he had been beaten, he said he would've been kicking himself for not getting after her earlier".[13]

On 17 June, Laurens was back in France for the Prix de Diane over 2100 metres at Chantilly Racecourse.The Aga Khan's Shahnaza started favourite ahead of With You, Luminate (Prix Penelope) and Happily, with Laurens fifth in the betting on 7.6/1. After tracking the leader Luminate, she went to the front in the straight but was quickly faced by several fast-finishing challengers. Half a length covered the first five finishers as Laurens held on gamely and prevailed from Musis Amica, Homerique, Happily and With You.[14] Her owner John Dance commented She's a superstar... When we bought the filly this was the race we talked about, literally the day we bought her, so to actually come here and win it, it's incredible. She's French-bred and she obviously loves France and coming back home".[15]

For her next race Laurens was stepped up in distance for the Yorkshire Oaks over one and a half miles (2400 metres) at York Racecourse on 23 August. She appeared to be going well in the straight, but tired in the last quarter mile and came home sixth, eight lengths behind the winner Sea of Class. The filly was dropped back to one mile for the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown Racecourse on 15 September in which Danny Tudhope substituted for the injured McDonald. Alpha Centauri was made the 30/100 favourite after four consecutive Group 1 wins with Laurens starting on 10/1. The best fancied of the other five fillies were a trio from the Aidan O'Brien stable comprising Happily, Clemmie and Magical. Laurens took the lead from the start and was never headed, staying on well under strong pressure to win by three quarters of a length from the favourite, with Clemmie a length and a quarter back in third.[16] Karl Burke commented "It's probably the highlight of my career so far. My family are from here, so it's a big thing to come back to Ireland and win a Group 1. She has proved herself a very high-class filly". John Dance said that he felt that the filly had not been given credit for her previous victories and added "It just niggled, because I thought people were underestimating her again, so to come and prove it is great."[17]

On 6 October Laurens started the 11/4 favourite for the Sun Chariot Stakes over one mile at Newmarket againt eight opponents including Wind Chimes (Prix de Lieurey, Happily, Clemmie, Veracious (Atalanta Stakes and Billesdon Brook. After taking the lead before half-way Laurens got the better of a sustained struggle with Happily to win by a head with two and a half length back to the 25/1 outsider Altyn Orda in third place.[18]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Laurens (FR), bay mare, 2015[1]
Sire
Siyouni (FR)
2007
Pivotal (GB)
1993
Polar Falcon (USA) Nureyev
Marie d'Argonne
Fearless Revival Cozzene
Stufida
Sichilla (IRE)
2002
Danehill (USA) Danzig
Razyana
Slipstream Queen (USA) Conquistador Cielo
Country Queen
Dam
Recambe (IRE)
2005
Cape Cross (IRE)
1994
Green Desert (USA) Danzig
Foreign Courier
Park Appeal Ahonoora (GB)
Balidaress
Raana (IRE)
1992
Kahyasi Ile de Bourbon (USA)
Kadissya (USA)
Raysiya (GB) Cure The Blues (USA)
Rilasa (FR) (Family: 9-e)[6]
  • Laurens is inbred 4 × 4 to Danzig, meaning that this stallion appears twice in the fourth generation of her pedigree.

References

  1. 1 2 "Laurens pedigree". Equineline.
  2. 1 2 Wood, Greg (13 October 2017). "Laurens lands Fillies' Mile as September comes too late for Aidan O'Brien". The Guardian.
  3. "Goffs UK Premier Sale 2016 - Catalogue". Racing Post.
  4. "Siyouni - Stud Record". Racing Post.
  5. "Recambe - Race Record & Form". Racing Post.
  6. 1 2 "Maid Of Masham - Family 9-e". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  7. "Trent Refractories EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes result". Racing Post. 20 July 2017.
  8. "May Hill Stakes result". Racing Post. 14 September 2017.
  9. "Fillies' Mile result". Racing Post. 13 October 2017.
  10. "European-2yo-Classification" (PDF). britishhorseracing.com.
  11. "Qipco 1000 Guineas Stakes result". Racing Post. 6 May 2018.
  12. "Prix Saint-Alary result". Racing Post. 27 May 2018.
  13. Burton, Scott (28 May 2018). "Laurens has Burke dreaming of first Classic after brave Prix Saint-Alary success". Racing Post.
  14. "Prix de Diane result". Racing Post. 17 June 2018.
  15. "Prix de Diane: Laurens wins France's equivalent of the Oaks". BBC Sport. 17 June 2018.
  16. "Matron Stakes result". Racing Post. 15 September 2018.
  17. Forristal, Richard (15 September 2018). "Laurens Gets Best of Alpha Centauri in Matron Stakes". The Blood-Horse.
  18. "Sun Chariot Stakes result". Racing Post. 6 October 2018.
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