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Sergeant Cecil finished an, what many feel unlucky 3rd in the Group 1 "Prix Royal Oak", the French St. Leger, like the Irish St. Leger open for older horses. The 3100m distance in the highest class was thought to be on the short side for Cecil, and so it proved. After being held up at the back of the pack for most of the way by substitute Jockey Ryan Moore, who replaced new regular jockey Frankie Dettori, Sergeant Cecil was short of room turning for home, at a very critical stage of the race. When the gaps appeared it was all too late for Sergeant Cecil, who flew home in usual gutsy and determined style, but failed to catch the leading pair.(see offical photo) - But above all the result shows that Sergeant Cecil has now proved beyond doubt that he can old his own in the highest company; we must never forget that last year he was "just" a handicapper!
courtesy of the Racingpost:
3:10 Prix Royal-Oak (Group 1) (3yo+)
[off 3:09] £98,517.00, £39,414.00, £19,707.00, £9,845.00, £4,931.00 (1m7f110y) 1m7½f
1 Montare (IRE) 6 J E Pease 4 9-1 p O Peslier 58/10
2 snk Bellamy Cay (GB) 10 A Fabre 4 9-4 S Pasquier 67/10
3 1 Sergeant Cecil (GB) 1 B R Millman 7 9-4 Ryan Moore 27/10
4 ¾ Lord Du Sud 9 J-C Rouget 5 9-4 I Mendizabal 21/10F
5 ½ Rising Cross (GB) 3 J R Best 3 8-6 Martin Dwyer 36/1
6 2 Loup De Mer (GER) 8 W Baltromei 4 9-4 D Boeuf 25/1
7 hd Shamdala (IRE) 5 A De Royer-Dupre 4 9-1 C Soumillon 42/10
8 ¾ Soledad (IRE) 2 G Cherel 6 9-4 F Spanu 33/1
9 4 Petite Speciale (USA) 11 E Lecoiffier 7 9-1 T Jarnet 30/1
10 15 Frank Sonata (GB) 7 M G Quinlan 5 9-4 T P Queally 29/1
A race that is invariably one of the weakest Group 1s in the European Pattern, so no surprise that just two of these, the progressive seven-year-old Sergeant Cecil and Shamdala, the filly who chased him home in the Prix du Cadran last time, had scored atthe highest level previously.
The presence of Lord Du Sud meant that rather uncharacteristically they went a genuine pace throughout the race, and although this was run in by far the fastest time of the last ten years, the fact that the ground conditions were much quicker than in recent years would have gone a long way to accounting for that fact.
MONTARE had been running over shorter distances recently, but the autumn specialist clearly benefited for this step back up in trip. She did notlook the most straightforward of individuals, though, and having jinked dramatically left when coming under pressure two furlongs out, swished her tail on a number of occasions late on.
Bellamy Cay had finished in front of Montare when winning a Group 2 over 1m6f here back in July. He was receiving 1lb that day and lost nothing in defeat here, trying to give her 3lb. He was unsuited by testing ground when disappointing on his most recent start, and back on this quicker surface and upped in trip heposted a much better effort.
Held up as usual, Sergeant Cecil was ridden along over three furlongs out. Switched out from his position on the rails in the home straight, he got going late on but was unable to reel in the front two. With his style of running, there is always a danger of that happening and it would be no surprise to see him turn the tables on the two horses that beat him home here should they clash again next season.
Rather like that one, Rising Cross has had a tough season.She once again showed good battling qualities over a distance that is probably beyond her compass.
The ground was plenty quick enough for Shamdala, but even taking that into account, she was eased late on as if something had gone amiss.
Loup De Mer was another who was trying this trip for the first time. He was held up to make sure he got home and looked to finish with plenty left in the tank having not been given too hard a time.
Upped in grade, Soledad dropped away late on having raced prominently for much of the race, while Frank Sonata was unable to repeat the kind of performance he showed to get the better of Scorpion in Listed company at the Curragh last time on this return to Group 1 company. There is a suspicion that thislevel is just beyond him, although he is another who would have appreciated more cut in the ground.
The outsider Petite Speciale was never able to get competitive. [PE]
Article by Desmond Stoneham
SERGEANT CECIL ran another brave race but he didn't quite have the legs to account for Montare and Bellamy Cay at the end of Sunday’s Prix Royal-Oak at Longchamp. Staying on strongly in the hands of Ryan Moore, the seven-year-old threaded his way through rivals in the straight and finally went down by a short neck and a length.
Montare was giving Jonathan Pease his first Group 1 success of the season and Oliver Peslier his first Group 1 win this year in his native France as the daughter of Montjeu once again proved a good advert for keeping fillies in training after their three-year-old careers.
Sunday’s first Group 1 win followed her victory in the category below last time out.
Full of herself in the paddock, Montare was in mid division early on but did have to be pushed along a little before the straight where she was slightly hampered on two occasions by the runner up. When Peslier asked his partner for a final effort over a furlong out, she quickened to pass Bellamy Cay, while Sergeant Cecil, second last entering the straight, put his best work in at the end. Montare is owned and bred by George Strawbridge and although her future programme won't be decided until Pease has time to talk to the owner, he did disclose: "She is the best filly I have ever trained and Montare goes especially well for Peslier who rode a terrific race. He seems to move her up in class.
“I would like to keep Montare in training next year and will try and persuade Mr Strawbridge to do so. If this turns out to be the case then the filly will not run again this season. If she is retired, then she may well run again and could possibly go for something like the Japan Cup."
Rod Millman was not down hearted after watching his stable star finish third.
He said: "Sergeant Cecil had no gaps and was a little flat footed. He would have also preferred a faster pace. Next year he will begin in shorter trips over a mile and a half and his main targets will be the Gold Cup, York and the Cadran."
Rising Cross pleased John Best as she was beaten just over two lengths back in fifth.
He said: "She was a little keen at the start as they didn't go quick enough and the race became a sprint which didn't suit us. She is a very consistent filly and ran another cracker. Next year she will run in Cup races.”
www.thoroughbredtimes.com
Montare makes timely move to win Prix Royal-Oak
George Strawbridge's Montare landed the final Group 1 of the Longchamp season on Sunday when Olivier Peslier guided the Montjeu (Ire) filly to a head victory in the Prix Royal-Oak (Fr-G1) (French St. Leger).
Montare raced in midpack early and encountered traffic trouble twice in the stretch before Peslier urged her onward with more than a furlong to run. Montare kicked in to pass Bellamy Cay and held off hard-charging Sergeant Cecil for the narrow win.
Sergeant Cecil finished third, one length behind Bellamy Cay. Time was 3:20.30 for the 3,100-meter (15.41-furlong) race on a turf course rated as good.
"I was a little worried before the final turn, but I gave her a reminder to get her going and then she produced a good run down the straight on the outside," Peslier told England's Press Association. "She's very courageous."
Winning trainer Jonathan Pease said that he would like to keep Montare in training in 2007, but would discuss that option with Strawbridge, a Pennsylvania owner-breeder.
"If [Montare starts in 2007], then the filly will not run again this season," Pease told Racing Post. "If she is retired, then she may well run again and could possibly go for something like the Japan Cup (Jpn-G1)."
Montare entered the Prix Royal-Oak off a narrow win in the 2,500-meter (12.42-furlong) Prix de Royallieu (Fr-G2) on September 20 at Longchamp. She improved to six wins in 17 starts. Bred in Ireland by Strawbridge, she is out of the Shirley Heights mare Contare.
Having already landed the Prix du Cadran (Fr-G1) on October 1 at Longchamp, Sergeant Cecil was heavily favored to win the Prix Royal-Oak.
"He's had a great season and the Cadran day will remain with me for the rest of my life," said Sergeant Cecil's trainer, Rod Millman. "That is it for him for the rest of the season; he has earned his rest.
"Next year, he will begin in shorter trips over a mile and a half, and his main targets will be the [Ascot] Gold Cup (Eng-G1), York, and the Cadran."
Sergeant Cecil's jockey, Ryan Moore, admitted that Peslier got the jump on them. "We would have won in another furlong," said Moore, who is all but certain to be crowned champion jockey in England. "Fair dues to Olivier, but he timed his run to perfection, and we just couldn't quite get to him." —Pirate Irwin
With a winter to follow the Chasers and Hurdlers and many private things to worry about, the homepage was neglected by us a bit longer than it should have been. While we followed the likes of Kauto Star, Monet´s Garden, Voy Por Ustedes and My Way de Solzen, Cecil enjoyed some time away from the racetrack, to gain new strength for yet another season in 2007. At time of writing Sergeant Cecil is set to make his seasonal debut later this month, in the John Porter Stakes, Newbury April the 21st; a race he finished fourth in to the one and only (muc missed) Mubtaker last year.
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