French Emotion caps big weekend
The patience of French Emotion’s owner-breeders Valda Klaric and Ivan Cajkusic was rewarded when the 5YO daughter of Snitzel burst clear of her rivals to win Sunday’s $200,000 VRC Blazer S. 1400m G2 at Flemington.
Watch French Emotion win the VRC Blazer S. G2.
As Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria reported, the win rounded out a good weekend for Valda and Ivan, who also race Kaniana, runner-up to Don’t Doubt Mamma in the MVRC WH Stocks S. G2 on Friday night. Mind you, Valda’s standards are high – her interest in racing began when she worked for the late Alec Dodson, owner-breeder of champion 2YO and wonderful sire Canny Lad.
Valda said, “It was a tremendous thrill … I certainly haven’t had a weekend like that for a while. French Emotion really had to do it the hard way, coming from barrier 16 and I knew we’d need some luck.”
It was the mare’s fifth win and her third appearance in Group company, following unplaced runs behind Into the Mist (by Redoute’s Choice) at Morphettville last May, and Don’t Doubt Mamma (by Not A Single Doubt) in last month’s VRC Let’s Elope S. G2.
French Emotion’s story is one of steady progress rather than rapid rise. Unraced at two, she was placed in her five 3YO starts in New South Waes then transferred from Chris Waller’s Sydney stable to his Melbourne base. Perhaps natural improvement made the difference, or the shift to left-handed racing, but she immediately won a mid-week Benchmark 64 race at Sandown by more than four lengths.
As sometimes happens, once she won, French Emotion kept doing it, adding three more city wins in succession. In all, her 16 starts have yielded five wins, 13 placings, prizemoney of more than $300,000 and the increase in value that comes with a Group 2 victory. The VRC Myer Classic G1 at the end of the month is now an obvious target for her.
French Emotion is the 43rd stakeswinner for Snitzel and the best of three winners out of the Woodman mare Love and Emotion, a daughter of AJC Oaks G1 winner My Brilliant Star, also the dam of Shot of Thunder (MRC Toorak H. G1). This is also the family of Queensland Derby G1 winner Lachlan River and dual Group 1-winning sprinter Sudurka.
French Emotion is the first filly or mare among the six stakeswinners that have given Snitzel an early break on his rivals this season. She joins Group 3 winners Sooboog and Redzel from Snitzel’s 2012 crop and Saturday’s Group 2 winner at Randwick, Russian Revolution and Listed winners Detective & Thronum from his 2013 crop.
After only nine weeks of the 2016/17 season, the son of Redoute’s Choice has broken through the $2 million mark and leads Street Cry and Not A Single Doubt (represented by Extreme Choice & Don’t Doubt Mamma at Moonee Valley on Friday evening) on the General Sires’ table.
