Siyouni and Sea The Stars enjoy more Group 1 glory. Siyouni has enjoyed a splendid start to the Deauville meeting in France this weekend, thanks to the spectacular success of Laurens in the feature Gr.1 Prix Rothschild, and that of Devil in the Arqana Prix de Tancarville newcomers’ contest.

Laurens continues to be the flagbearer for her Haras de Bonneval-based sire and she is now a Group 1 winner at two years old (Fillies Mile), three years old (Prix Saint-Alary, Prix de Diane, Matron Stakes, Sun Chariot Stakes) and four years old following her latest victory in the Prix Rothschild at Deauville.

After an excellent second place against male rivals in the Gr.1 Lockinge Stakes, and a close sixth in the Gr.1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, Laurens returned to winning ways in fine style. The filly was soon sent to the head of affairs by PJ McDonald and was always in control of the race as she held off a late run from title holder With You. Trainer Karl Burke was delighted to see his stable star back in the winners’ enclosure and praised his daughter Lucy who looks after the filly on a daily basis. More top-level targets are now on the agenda for the magnificent filly, with the Gr.1 Prix Jean Romanet over ten furlongs at Deauville in August a possibility, or a defense of her title in the Gr.1 Matron Stakes and Gr.1 Sun Chariot Stakes before considering a tilt at the Breeders’ Cup.

Owned by John Dance, Laurens was bred in France by Melchior-François Mathet, and she was sold as a yearling for £220,000 at Goffs UK in Doncaster.

Siyouni had been to the fore the previous day at Deauville as his son Devil made a most eyecatching debut in an often noteworthy maiden race, the Arqana Prix de Tancarville. The Wertheimer Brothers’ homebred was held up in the early part of a slowly-run race and accelerated smoothly at the two furlong marker before dominating the final stages. Trained by Freddy Head, he looks to be a promising colt for the future.

Ascot’s summer showpiece, the Gr.1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, lived up to all its promise with a spectacular showdown between dual Arc de Triomphe winner Enable and current Longines World’s Best Racehorse Crystal Ocean. The son of Sea The Stars, who had lifted the Gr. 1 Prince of Wales’s Stakes on his latest outing at Royal Ascot, fought bravely to the line but had to settle for second place, just a neck adrift from the exceptional mare.

Sea The Stars was back in the headlines days later thanks to crack stayer Stradivarius who produced a devastating final run to lift his third successive Gr.1 Goodwood Cup. The John Gosden-trained five-year-old entire is now unbeaten in his last eight runs and looks likely to secure his second Weatherbys Hamilton Stayers Million Bonus. Owner-breeder Bjorn Nielson declared after the race that if Stradivarius remains healthy and enthusiastic, he will continue racing in 2020.

Leading French sire Siyouni, and Gilltown Stud’s Arc hero Sea The Stars will both be strongly represented at the forthcoming Arqana yearling sales in Deauville from 17th to 20th August.

Updated on 30/07/2019