Bonneval Dominant In The Australian Oaks
On a rain affected track jockey Hugh Bowman settled the filly well back in the field and by the time the straight was reached she still had many lengths to make up on the leaders but it proved no problem as Bonneval came with a powerhouse finishing run to reach the leaders, Lasqueti Spirit (Beneteau) and Perfect Rhyme (Poet’s Voice). She then drew clear to win by four and a half lengths from Perfect Rhyme with Lasqueti Spirit a long neck away in third place. Time was 2:36.27 with the last 600 metres covered in 38.16.
New Zealand’s master trainer Murray Baker prepares Bonneval in partnership with Andrew Forsman and the Australian Oaks success was his 20th Group One win in Australia.
It was a case of history repeating in the 2017 Australian Oaks as the classic last year went to another New Zealand-bred and trained daughter of Makfi, Sofia Rosa, also ridden by Hugh Bowman.
Bred by City Bloodstock Ltd, Bonneval sold for NZ$150,000 at New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2015 Premier Yearling Sale and was excellent buying considering the depth of her female pedigree.
Her dam Imposingly (Zabeel) showed only a little ability to win a 1950 metre maiden at Gawler in South Australia from five starts but her deeds at stud could hardly be improved upon as she has now produced four stakes winning fillies, Bonneval and her sister Imposing Lass (Makfi) plus Full Of Spirit (Flying Spur) and Lady Cumquat (Duke of Marmalade) whose performances are detailed in the accompanying catalogue pedigree.
Still to race for Imposingly are an unnamed two-year-old colt by Redwood (High Chaparral), a yearling colt by Camelot (Montjeu) and a weanling filly by Adelaide (Galileo).
Imposingly is a sister to stakes-placed Sunnah (Zabeel) from unraced Quiz Queen (Defensive Play), a half-sister to multiple Group One winners St Reims (Zabeel) and Champagne (Zabeel), also remembered for her close second to Jezabeel (Zabeel) in the 1998 Melbourne Cup (Gr 1, 3200m).
Bonneval is a member of one of America’s finest modern day female lines, her third dam, unraced L’Quiz (L’Enjoleur) being imported to New Zealand in around 1990 to become dam of six winners and additionally becoming second or third dam of many more, among them last Saturday’s Te Rapa Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 1,1600m) winner Charmont (High Chaparral).
L’Quiz is out of Basin (Tom Rolfe), a non-winning half-sister to top United States performers Dike (Herbager), Okavango (Herbager), Canal (Round Table), Cabildo (Round Table) and Shore (Round Table) from the famous producer Delta (Nasrullah), a high-class racemare whose 16 wins included seven stakes events.
Basin is closely related to British stars Nathaniel (Galileo), Playful Act (Sadler’s Wells), Percussionist (Sadler’s Wells), Cavalryman (Halling) and a host of other top class European performers with Wellington Cup (Gr 1, 3200m) winner Zabeat (Rhythm) also descending from this branch of the family.
Other major winners worldwide tracing back to Bonneval’s fifth dam Delta include Coco Rouge (Rainbow Quest), Sleepytime (Royal Academy), Ali-Royal (Royal Academy) and Polonia (Danzig) to name but a small selection while Delta’s dam Boutai (Stimulus) is perhaps even more renowned as the dam of such important winners and producers as Levee (Hill Prince), Nalee (Nashua), Bayou (Hill Prince) and Banta (Some Chance).
Apart from her exceptional female line, Bonneval has a pedigree chart which features five lines of Northern Dancer (Nearctic) and doubles of Mr. Prospector (Raise A Native), Sir Ivor (Sir Gaylord), Val de Loir (Vieux Manoir), Buckpasser (Tom Fool) and others in a powerful genetic cocktail.
Bonneval’s sire Makfi shuttled from Europe to New Zealand’s Westbury Stud for six seasons, 2011 to 2016 inclusive, but will not be returning this year following his sale last year to Japanese interests,a significant loss to Australasian racing and breeding in the light of his stud achievements to date.
Sire of the 2015 Poule d’Essai des Poulains (Gr 1, 1600m) and Prix de la Foret (Gr 1, 1400m) winner Make Believe, Makfi has sired 15 stakes winners and eight in Australia and New Zealand. Three of those have won at Group One level, in Australia and New Zealand and in addition to his two Australian Oaks winners these are headed by Marky Mark, Eleonora and Hursley.
Himself a winner in France as a two-year-old over 1400 metres, Makfi at three years earned an annual Timeform rating of 130 after winning the 2000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1m) and the Prix Jacques le Marois (Gr 1, 1600m) in which he defeated champion mare Goldikova (Anabaa).
Makfi is out of Dhelaal (Green Desert), a half-sister to Alhaarth (Unfuwain) while her dam Irish Valley (Irish River) is a half-sister to champion sire Green Dancer (Nijinsky) and other feature winners.