Jean-Claude Rouget has made a habit of winning the 3-year-old maidens at Cagnes-Sur-Mer each year and he has already had a handful of promising 3-year-olds take home a prize this time around. Monday's 3-year-old debutantes races have a habit of producing some above average winners. In fact, the Colts and Geldings maiden has been renamed the Prix Ace Impact in honour of the 2023 Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe winner who won this race at the start of that season. The Rouget yard won both "inédits" races on Mondays card and whilst I wouldn't be entirely sure that we saw a horse who will get within 20lbs of Ace Impact, there was some promise shown by the winners of both races. Here are my notes on both the Prix de la Bocca and the Prix Ace Impact of 2025.
PSF (Standard)
Winner | Time | Réduction KM | Final 3-furlongs |
Pinatique | 128.45 | 64.22 | 33.99 |
Leffard | 125.76 | 62.88 | 34.07 |
PRIX DE LA BOCCA
Inédits race. Pinatique (Rouget) is a Pinatubo half-sister to Paix. Travelled like the winner for a long way, but when asked for an effort took an age to go past Pumba (2nd) who made most of the running. To be fair, her closing sectionals of 10.99 and 11.48s suggest there is speed there and the runner-up has run a fair race, but her stride (visually) appeared to be limited.
Sisi DAmour (3rd) made good late headway having been caught out when the pace lifted, this included a 10.96s penultimate furlong.
PRIX ACE IMPACT
Inédits race. A 1,2 for Jean-Claude Rouget. Leffard is a Le Havre half-brother to Sippinsoda. Broke well and raced prominently at a relatively strong gallop. Once the gap came he quickened readily and had a lead with a furlong to run. At this point, JB Eyquem appeared to ease up which allowed the 2nd placed Kalaoun (also Rouget) to make good late ground before the winner was driven out to hold. This pair have pulled 5-lengths clear of the rest. The runner-up had tracked Leffard before Demuro was forced to switch around the tiring leader to get a run.
*Both races considerably slower than the course standard time of 120.40s.
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