Channel | |
---|---|
Sire | Nathaniel |
Grandsire | Galileo |
Dam | Love Magic |
Damsire | Dansili |
Sex | Mare |
Foaled | 17 April 2016 [1] |
Country | Ireland |
Colour | Bay |
Breeder | Kilcarn Stud |
Owner | Samuel De Barros |
Trainer | Francis-Henri Graffard |
Record | 6: 3-1-0 |
Earnings | £544,955 |
Major wins | |
Prix de Diane (2019) |
Channel (foaled 17 April 2016) is an Irish-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. As a three-year-old in 2019 she finished second on her debut and then won two minor races before recording her biggest success in the Group 1 Prix de Diane. She was well beaten in two subsequent races.
Channel is a bay mare with a white blaze and three white socks bred in Ireland by the County Meath-based Kilcarn Stud. As a yearling she was consigned to the Goffs Orby sale and bought for €18,000 by Meridian International. [2] In the following May she returned to the sales ring at Deauville for the Arqana "breeze-up" sale in which horses are publicly galloped before being auctioned. She was sold for €70,000 to Bertrand le Metayer Bloodstock. [3] The filly entered the ownership of Samuel De Barros and was sent into training with Francis-Henri Graffard.
She was from the third crop of foals sired by Nathaniel who won the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 2011 and the Eclipse Stakes in the following year. As a breeding stallion he is best known as the sire of Enable. [4]
Channel's dam Love Magic showed modest racing ability, winning one minor race from five attempts. [5] Love Magic's dam Magical Romance won the Cheveley Park Stakes and was a half-sister to Alexandrova as well as being closely related to Rekindling and Golden Sword. [6]
Having not raced as a two-year-old Channel made her debut in a maiden race over 2000 metres at Saint-Cloud Racecourse on 30 March 2019. Ridden by Ronan Thomas and starting at odds of 11/1 she finished second of the fourteen runners, beaten half a length by the André Fabre-trained Secret Walk. [7] Pierre-Charles Boudot then took over as her regular jockey and rode her in all of her subsequent races. On 27 April she started odds-on favourite for a maiden over 2200 metres at Lyon Parilly Racecourse and recorded her first victory as she won "easily" by two lengths from Big Death after taking the lead 300 metres from the finish. [8] Three weeks later Channel was stepped up in class for the Prix de la Chapelle-en-Serval over 2100 metres at Chantilly Racecourse and went off the 5.3/1 third choice in an eight-runner field. After being in contention from the start she went to the front 200 metres from the finish and won "very readily" by one and three quarter lengths from Ebony with the favourite Dariyza a head away in third place. [9]
In the Group 1 Prix de Diane over 2100 metres at Chantilly a month later, Channel started the 9.3/1 third choice in the betting behind Siyarafina and Commes (runner-up in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches). The other thirteen runners included Wonderment (Critérium de Saint-Cloud), Étoile (Prix Cléopâtre), Platane (Prix Vanteaux), Cartiem (Prix Penelope), Nausha (Musidora Stakes) and Cala Tarida (Prix des Réservoirs). Platane set the pace before giving way to Wonderment in the straight but Channel, who had been in contention from the start, moved up on the outside to gain the advantage approaching the last 200 metres. With several fillies producing strong late runs the race resulted in a blanket finish with Channel holding on to win by a head from Commes, just ahead of Grand Glory, Étoile, Cala Tarida and Siyarafina. [10] After the race Boudot said "I was 80% sure we'd won passing the post but I can't say I was absolutely certain. I felt like I was ahead and that we'd won bar an unfortunate nod of the head. Once I knew we’d won it was a huge moment". Graffard commented "When I saw the way she accelerated and that nothing else was really coming after her, I knew she wouldn’t stop. I felt she would run all the way to the line and that's exactly what she did". [11]
On 1 August Channel was sent to England and matched against older fillies and mares in the Nassau Stakes at Goodwood Racecourse. Starting at odds of 11/1 she ran well until the last three furlongs but then dropped away to come home seventh of the nine runners behind the Japanese mare Deirdre. Six weeks later the filly was stepped up in distance to contest the Prix Vermeille over 2400 metres at Longchamp Racecourse in which she never looked likely to win and finished sixth to Star Catcher, beaten four and a half lengths by the winner. [12]
Sire Nathaniel (IRE) 2008 | Galileo (IRE) 1998 | Sadler's Wells (USA) | Northern Dancer (CAN) |
---|---|---|---|
Fairy Bridge | |||
Urban Sea (USA) | Miswaki | ||
Allegretta (GB) | |||
Magnificient Style (USA) 1993 | Silver Hawk | Roberto | |
Gris Vitesse | |||
Mia Karina | Icecapade | ||
Basin | |||
Dam Love Magic (GB) 2010 | Dansili (GB) 1996 | Danehill (USA) | Danzig |
Razyana | |||
Hasili (IRE) | Kahyasi | ||
Kerali (GB) | |||
Magical Romance (GB) 2002 | Barathea | Sadler's Wells (USA) | |
Brocade (GB) | |||
Shouk (GB) | Shirley Heights | ||
Souk (IRE) (Family: 21-a) [6] |
Avenir Certain is a French Thoroughbred racehorse who was unbeaten until racing in the 2014 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. She only raced twice as a two-year-old, and after winning one minor race in 2014, she won the Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and Prix de Diane and the Group 2 Prix de la Nonette. She is trained by Jean-Claude Rouget and owned by Antonio Caro and Gerard Augustin-Normand.
Shareta is an Irish-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She was a top-class middle-distance runner who showed her best form on good or firm ground. After finishing second on her only start as a juvenile she won three races including the Prix de Thiberville and Prix Minerve in 2011 and came second in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. She went on to greater success in 2012 when she recorded Group One victories in the Yorkshire Oaks and the Prix Vermeille. She was retired from racing after finishing unplaced on her only start in 2013.
Esoterique is an Irish-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. As a three-year-old she won the Prix Vanteaux and finished second in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches but then missed the second half of the season. At four she won the Dahlia Stakes in England and the Group One Prix Rothschild in France and in 2015 she added further Group One victories in the Prix Jacques Le Marois and the Sun Chariot Stakes.
Shawanda is an Irish-bred, French-trained. Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She was unraced as a two-year-old and finished second on her racecourse debut in April 2005. She then established herself as one of the best fillies of her generation in Europe with five consecutive win including the Prix de Royaumont, Irish Oaks and the Prix Vermeille. After finishing sixth in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe she was bought by Godolphin and retired from racing in 2006. She made an immediate impact as a broodmare, with her second foal being the St Leger winner Encke.
Sistercharlie is a champion Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2018 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf and was the 2018 Champion Female Turf Horse. She also won the Prix Penelope, Jenny Wiley Stakes, Diana Stakes twice, and Beverly D. Stakes twice.
Daryaba was an Irish-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. In a brief track career she won three of her five starts between April and October 1999. After finishing second on her debut she won a minor race before taking the Prix de Diane and went on to win the Prix Vermeille in autumn before coming home unplaced in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. As a broodmare, she produced several good winners including Daryakana.
Sarafina is a French Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare that was rated one of the best female racehorses in the world in 2010 and 2011. As a three-year-old she won her first three races including the Prix Saint-Alary and Prix de Diane before finishing third in both the Prix Vermeille and Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. In the following year she took the Prix Corrida, Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and Prix Foy but was beaten when favourite for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and Breeders' Cup Turf. She was retired from racing at the end of that year and exported to become a broodmare in Japan.
Sagawara is a British-bred French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She showed promise as a juvenile in 2011 when she won a minor event on the second of her two starts. In the following spring she ran second on her seasonal debut in the Prix Vanteaux and then recorded her biggest success when he won the Prix Saint-Alary. For the rest of the year she was matched against top-class opposition but failed to win in four races and was retired from the track at the end of the year.
Watch Me is a French Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old in 2018 she showed promise as she won the Listed Criterium du Languedoc on the second of her two starts. In the following year she won the Prix Imprudence and recorded her biggest win when she took the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot. In 2020 she was unbeaten in two starts, namely the Prix de la Calonne and the Prix Rothschild.
Siyarafina is a French Thoroughbred racehorse. In a brief racing career that lasted from April to June 2019, she won three of her four races including the Group 1 Prix Saint-Alary. After winning a maiden race on her debut she took the Prix de Louvre and then recorded her biggest success when she defeated ten opponents to win the Prix Saint-Alary at Longchamp. She finished unplaced when favourite for the Prix de Diane and was retired from racing soon afterwards.
West Wind was a British-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She did not race until she was three years old but established herself as a top-class middle-distance performe in 2007 when she won the Prix de Diane as well as running second in the Prix Vermeille and third in the Pretty Polly Stakes. She was retired from racing after running poorly on her only start as a four-year-old.
Latice was an Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. As a two-year-old in 2003 she showed great promise by winning her first race and then taking the Group 3 Prix de Condé against male opposition. In the following spring she won the Prix Vanteaux before recording her biggest victory in the Prix de Diane but was unplaced in three subsequent starts that year. In 2005 she was campaigned in North America where she won the Waya Stakes and running second in the E. P. Taylor Stakes. She won one minor race in 2006 before being retired from racing at the end of the year. As a broodmare she had some success as a dam of winners.
Bright Sky was an Irish-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare who raced in France, Japan, the United States. Hong Kong and Dubai. After winning three minor races as a juvenile in 2001 she emerged as a top-class performer in the following year, winning the Prix de Diane and Prix de l'Opéra as well as running second in the Prix Saint-Alary and third in the Prix Vermeille. In 2003 she added a third Group 1 success in the Prix d'Astarte and was placed in the Prix d'Ispahan, Prix du Moulin and Prix de l'Opéra. She was retired from racing after two unsuccessful starts as a five-year-old. As a broodmare she produced several minor winners.
Fancy Blue is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. She showed considerable promise as a juvenile in 2019 when she won both of her races including the Listed Staffordstown Stud Stakes. In the following year she finished second in the Irish 1,000 Guineas before winning the Prix de Diane and Nassau Stakes.
Tarnawa is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse. After failing to win in three starts as a two-year-old in 2018 she improved in the following year to win four races including the Blue Wind Stakes, Give Thanks Stakes and Blandford Stakes. She returned in 2020 to win a second Give Thanks Stakes before taking the Prix Vermeille, Prix de l'Opera and Breeders' Cup Turf.
Audarya is a French-bred British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. After running second in her only start as a juvenile in 2018 she showed promising, but unremarkable form in the following year, winning two minor events and finishing second in a Listed race. As a young four-year-old in 2020 she was well beaten in her first two appearances but then made relentless progress, taking a minor handicap race in early August before moving up to Group 1 class to win the Prix Jean Romanet, finish third in the Prix de l'Opera and win the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
Wooded is an Irish-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. He showed promising form as a juvenile in 2019 when he won one minor race and was placed in both the Prix La Rochette and the Prix Thomas Bryon. He won the Prix Texanita on this three-year-old debut but was beaten in his next three starts before recording his biggest win on his final start when he took the Group 1 Prix de l'Abbaye. He was retired from racing at the end of the year.
Coeursamba is a French Thoroughbred racehorse. She showed high-class form as a juvenile in 2020 when she won one race and was placed in both the Prix Six Perfections and the Prix d'Aumale. In the following spring she took the Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches.
Grand Glory is a British-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. In her early career she was lightly-campaigned but showed good racing ability, winning her only race as a juvenile and finishing third in the Prix de Diane in 2019. As a four-year-old in 2020 she won the Listed Prix Zarkava and the Group 3 Prix de Flore. Grand Glory was even better as a five-year-old in 2021 when she took the Grand Prix de Vichy and the Prix Jean Romanet as well as running second in the Prix de l'Opera and fifth in the Japan Cup. In 2022 she won a second Prix Zarkava before taking the Prix Allez France and finishing third in the Prince of Wales's Stakes.
Rougir is a French-bred Thoroughbred racehorse. As a two-year-old in 2020 she won three races including the Group 3 Prix des Reservoirs and also finished third in the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac. In the following year she was beaten in her first six races before taking the Prix de l'Opera and at the end of the season she was sold for €3,000,000. She was then sent to race in the United States where she won the Beaugay Stakes and Grade I E. P. Taylor Stakes as a four-year-old.