3-YEAR-OLD BAY COLT
FLINTSHIRE x DANZA CAVALLO (Sunday Break)
Trainer: Jean-Claude Rouget
Breeder: S F Bloodstock
Owner: White Birch Farm
A middle distance colt running for these connections is always going to raise eyebrows. The obvious "Sottsass" comparisons are going to be made and Cheshire Academy has a very long way to go before he reaches that level.
Named after an American school where his breeder, Peter Brant was educated, this son of Flintshire is 2 from 2 in his career, with both wins coming on the all weather at Pau. He has shown an excellent turn of foot on both occasions to come home in front of Gregolimo, who sets a reasonable standard of form. His dam, Danza Cavallo was a listed winner in France at 3, before moving to the United States, where she excelled under the stewardship of Chad Brown, finishing placed in the Grade 1 Flower Bowl stakes at Belmont behind Stephanie's Kitten. His Sire, Flintshire, took a while to really bloom, but he excelled over middle distances once he matured, finishing 2nd twice in the Arc behind Treve and Golden Horn. That Cheshire Academy has shown such a professional temperament at this stage of his career can only be seen as a positive and he will surely improve once he gets on to the turf.
His trainer, Jean-Claude Rouget told Jour de Galop "It's good. He accelerated well, as he did on his debut. We were secretly waiting for this race to confirm that, as I wanted to see it to believe it. We are going to give him time and he will restart in April, over either 1m2f or 1m3f. We will try to bring him up to a good level. Given his breeding, he has the right to gallop! His sire(Flintshire) was late developing, but he was a very good horse over 1m4f. I think Cheshire Academy will be more of a 1m4f horse in the future. It is still too early to talk about the Prix du Jockey Club (Gr1), he will tell us. For the moment, we are on track for it".
Its only March and there is a lot of racing ahead this year, but he has made a solid start and is surely worth considering at the top levels of this years Classic generation. He has entries in both the Prix du Jockey Club and the Grand Prix de Paris. It is also worth noting that both his Sire and his Dam ran well in the states, so in an ideal scenario, he could be worth noting as a potential breeders cup horse if he continues his current upward curve.
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