US Group Three for Peintre Celebre

1st June 2008

Peintre Celebre has made a bright start to the season and it could get even better at Epsom on Friday when the John Oxx-trained Katiyra (3f Peintre Celebre-Katiyhka, by Darshaan) lines up in the G1 Juddmonte Oaks.

The Aga Khan's home-bred is held in high regard by connections and - having won a Leopardstown maiden on her only start as a two-year-old - lost little in defeat when second to the Danehill Dancer filly Carribean Sunset (3f Danehill Dancer-Bonheur, by Royal Academy) in the G3 1,000 Guineas Trial last month "We hope she'll run well," Pat Downes, manager of the Aga Khan's Gilltown Stud, told the Racing Post. "Her run behind Carribean Sunset a few weeks ago looks good off the back of the G1 Irish 1,000 Guineas. The lack of experience may tell on the day, but she's entitled to take her chance, and I think she'll be a very good filly."

A couple of weeks ago Peintre Celebre tasted more G1 glory when the Alain de Royer-Dupre-trained Belle Et Celebre (3f Peintre Celebre-Rotina, by Crystal Glitters) won the G1 Montjeu Coolmore Prix Saint-Alary at Longchamp for owner-breeders Aliette and Gilles Forien.

The winners continue to flow across the globe and at the weekend in California the Bobby Frankel-trained Sudan (5h Peintre Celebre-Sarabande, by Woodman), bred by Dayton Investments, enjoyed a four-length success in the G3 Golden Gate Fields Turf Stakes at Golden Gate Fields. "Bobby Frankel is a great trainer and he had this horse ready to roll. I was just a passenger," said winning jockey David Flores.