Dubai Turf hero Facteur Cheval a Group 1 first for Ribchester after unlucky misses

The highly consistent Facteur Cheval became Ribchester's first winner at the highest level when deservedly landing the Dubai Turf at Meydan on Saturday. 

Trained by Jerome Reynier for Team Valor International and Gary Barber, the five-year-old gelding was making a breakthrough at Group 1 level having placed behind Anmaat, Paddington, Sauterne and Big Rock on his last four starts. 

Previously a Group 3 winner when beating the smart Tribalist in the 2022 Prix Perth, he has become a fine performer for all concerned, not least for his sire.

Ribchester won the Mill Reef Stakes winner at two and became a multiple Group 1-winning miler at three and four for Richard Fahey and Godolphin, including in the Prix Jacques le Marois, Lockinge Stakes and Queen Anne, before retiring to Kildangan Stud. 

Standing at Darley's Irish base from 2018-2022 and then at Haras du Logis last year, the son of Iffraaj's other leading progeny to date include Listed winner and Commonwealth Cup second Flaming Rib, as well as recent Australian Group 3 scorer Red Card and the promising black-type winner Willem Twee.

Ribchester shuttled to Darley Australia before replacing his sire at Haunui Farm and has remained there this year. 

Facteur Cheval was bred by McCracken Farms and sold for 145,000gns as a foal from Tattersalls before making €120,000 to Asap Bloodstock from Hubert Honore at Arqana's August Yearling Sale the following summer. He was retained by Honore for one start before privately selling to Team Valor.

He is the third foal out of the Shamardal mare Jawlaat, a half-sister to triple Group 3 winner Tantheem, while the pair are out of the Dubawi mare Riqa, a half-sister to Listed winner and Prix du Jockey Club third Motamarris. Riqa is in turn out of the Anabaa mare Thamarat, a half-sister to Group 1 winner and sire Tamayuz. It is the illustrious family of Urban Sea, Galileo, Sea The Stars and King's Best.

Two Rivers Over strikes in the Godolphin MileCredit: Edward Whitaker

Earlier in the day, the gritty Two Rivers Over emulated his sire Tamarkuz with victory in the Godolphin Mile. 

Bred by John Gunther and a half-brother to Newsells Park Stud's St James's Palace Stakes scorer and first-season sire Without Parole, Tamarkuz won the contest in 2015 before going on to glory in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile the following year, beating a certain Gun Runner into second. 

Having sold to the late Hamdan Al Maktoum for $325,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, he won or placed in 12 of his 20 starts before retiring to Shadwell Farm in Kentucky. 

Following the restructuring of the operation after the founder's death in March 2021, the son of Speightstown moved to Blue Ridge Farm for 2022 and then Ballycroy Bloodstock in Ontario, Canada for 2023. 

Two Rivers Over was bred by Allied Racing Stable out of the Cowboy Cal mare American Cowgirl, a dual winner and a sister to Special Relativity, a Listed winner and Grade 1-placed when third in the Ballerina Stakes at Saratoga in 2019.

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