The 2020 top-rated European colt, St Mark’s Basilica, began his three year old career with victory in the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) at ParisLongchamp.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained colt finished last season winning the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes over seven furlongs at Newmarket, England, in October. Given a rating of 120 at the end of his juvenile campaign, the son of Siyouni was the seventh consecutive winner of the Dewhurst Stakes to top the two-year-old ratings. His 120 mark, however, was the joint-third lowest in the 42-year history of the classifications.
In his 2021 season opener, the Poule d’Essai des Poulains, the Balldoyle colt found himself towards the rear of the field early in the one-mile contest. He was soon just over halfway down the field, before moving menacingly forward approaching the turn for home.
In the final stretch, St Mark’s Basilica, who last season was the 11th champion two-year-old trained by Aidan O’Brien, was brought wide to challenge by his rider Iortiz Mendizabel and asked to quicken at the two furlong pole.
Responding well in the closing stages of the first French Classic of the season, he soon put a length and three-quarters of daylight between himself and the runner-up Colosseo, with the second-placed colt having a short neck to spare over Breizh Eagle in third.
The Jim Bolger-trained QPICO 2000 Guineas winner Poetic Flare, who was attempting to complete a Guineas double, ran rather flat and finished a disappointing sixth place – certainly not true to the form shown at Newmarket earlier this month.
The winning French 2000 Guineas handler, Aidan O’Brien, said of his second European Classic winner of 2021 (the Irishman trained Mother Earth to win the QIPCO 1000 Guineas in early May):
“He quickens very well. He’s been working lovely and you saw the way he progressed through last year. They all couldn’t go to Newmarket and when he was to go to France last year, we said we’d stick that way.”
The Bob Scarborough-bred colt was purchased for 1,300,000gns by MV Magnier, son of Coolmore partner, John, at the 2019 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.
St Mark’s Basilica is one of four winners out of the Galileo mare Cabaret, with her progeny now having claimed two Classics in three years. The French 2000 Guineas victor is a half-brother to the 2019 QIPCO 2,000 Guineas winner Magna Grecia, now a Coolmore Stud stallion.
St Mark’s Basilica raced five times last season, breaking his maiden at the third attempt at The Curragh in August. He was a creditable third in the Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes at the same venue before claiming the Dewhurst Stakes.
France-based jockey Iortiz Mendizabel, riding St Mark’s Basilica for the first time, said of the Coolmore partners owned Classic-winning colt:
“He didn’t break as fast as I expected, but he travelled well and quickened very nicely in the straight. There is no doubt in my mind that he will stay the Jockey Club trip (French Derby is 1 mile 2.5 furlongs). It’s a great honour to win this for the Coolmore team – I have been blessed with spare rides like this.”
Discussing future plans for St Mark’s Basilica, Aidan O’Brien said:
“He has an option to go to Ascot or go back for the French Derby. The original plan was that he would go there and back for the French Derby.”
The French Derby will be run at Chantilly Racecourse on Sunday 6 June 2021.
Photo: St Mark’s Basilica, (Courtesy of Breandán Ó hUallacháin)
