Almanzor mare goes all the way

Improving mare Dujour ran her rivals ragged on her home track at Riccarton to open her winning account with a dominant performance that has earned her a break.

The Almanzor four-year-old was making just her fifth appearance and was coming off a previous third placing before she romped home over 1600 metres.

“I’m very proud of her, I knew she was fit and well and she definitely goes for a break now,” said trainer David Medcalfe, who races the mare with sister Jenny.

Dujour was quickly into her work from barrier rise to make the running under Donovan Cooper and after surging clear at the top of the straight she stayed on too strongly for her rivals.

“What a beautiful way to start Cup Week, she loved it out in front and I let her do it at her own tempo and she found the line really well,” Cooper said.

We bred Dujour who is out of the unraced Irish-bred High Chaparral mare High Vogue, a 110,000gns purchase at a Tattersalls October Sale.

She is a half-sister to the four-time Group 1 winner Luxembourg with top-flight winners Arcangues, Artiste Royale and Aquarelliste also members of this family.

High Vogue is due to foal to Sword Of State after produced acolt to the Group 1 winner last season, while her son of Ocean Park was purchased by John Foote for A$80,000 at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale earlier this year.

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