Breeding & Racing Magazine

Cirrus Des Aigles Wins Gr1 Dubai Sheema Classic

Globe-trotting French-bred 6YO gelding Cirrus Des Aigles (Even Top-Taille De Guepe, by Septieme Ciel) scored by a neck in the field of 10 runners chasing the US$5 million Gr1 Dubai Sheema Classic (2400m on turf) at Meydan. Cirrus Des Aigles (ridden by Olivier Peslier for trainer Corine Barande-Barbe) defeated Irish-bred 5YO entire St Nicholas Abbey (Montjeu-Leaping Water, by Sure Blade) & Irish-bred 6YO entire Jakkalberry (Storming Home-Claba Di San Jore, by Barathea) in whom Darren Dance of Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock purchased a 50% share in February as part of a plan to target this year's major Spring staying races in Melbourne. Cirrus Des Aigles (who has previously raced in Hong Kong & Japan, as well as France & England) took his record to 14 wins (also including 2011's UK Gr1 Champion Stakes over 10 furlongs at Ascot, French Gr2 Grand Prix De Deauville over 2500m at Deauville, French Gr3 Prix Gontaut-Biron over 2000m at Deauville, French Gr3 Grand Prix De Vichty over 2000m at Vichy & French Gr3 La Coupe over 2000m at Longchamp, plus 2010's French Gr2 Prix Dollar over 1950m at Longchamp & French Listed Prix De Boulogne over 2000m at Longchamp, as well as 2009's French Gr2 Prix Du Conseil De Paris over 2400m at Longchamp, French Gr3 Prix Du Prince D'Orange over 2000m at Longchamp & French Listed Grand Prix Du Lion D'Angers over 200m at Le Lion D'Angers) & 21 placings (including 2011's French Gr1 Grand Prix De Saint-Cloud over 2400m at Saint-Cloud, French Gr1 Prix D'Ispahan over 1850m at Longchamp, French Gr1 Prix Ganay over 2100m at Longchamp, French Gr2 Prix Dollar over 1950m at Longchamp & French Gr3 Prix Exbury over 2000m at Saint-Cloud, plus 2010's French Gr2 Prix Du Conseil De Paris over 2400m at Longchamp & French Gr3 Prix Gontaut-Biron over 2000m at Deauville, as well as 2009's French Listed Grand Prix De Clairefontaine over 2400m at Clairefontaine, French Listed Prix Ridgway over 2000m at Chantilly, French Listed Prix Pelleas over 2000m at Compiegne, French Listed Derby Du Languedoc over 2400m at Toulouse, French listed Prix Matchem over 2000m at Saint-Cloud & French Listed Prix Policeman over 2150m at Cagnes-Sur-Mer) from 41 starts for US$5,600,774 earnings.