Yeguada Centurion homebred Missyouni makes pleasing start

Breeding operation Yeguada Centurion unveiled one of the brightest hopes seen as France's Flat year continues to build as Missyouni landed the Prix du Soissonnais at Chantilly on Tuesday.

Leopoldo Fernandez Pujals, an entrepreneur based in Spain, has begun to make considerable investment in thoroughbreds over the last few years and has had a successful partnership with young trainer Christopher Head through Sibila Spain, a Coolmore-bred daughter of Frankel and L'Ancresse bought for €240,000 as a yearling from Arqana. She was fourth in the Prix de Diane and won a Listed race last year.

Missyouni is a Yeguada Centurion homebred by Siyouni out of Epsom Icon, who last went through the ring for 250,000gns at Tattersalls when carrying this filly. Epsom Icon was a Group 3 winner for Mick Channon at Epsom and has subsequently bred a two-year-old daughter by US Navy Flag and a yearling full-sister to Missyouni.

The three-year-old took what looked a competitive newcomers' event over a mile by a comfortable three-quarters of a length.

"She surprised me a little bit because she stayed the mile very well. She had no cover and was two deep all the way round but she saw it out and I'm very pleased," Head said.

"It's great for the owner/breeders and their plan seems to be working well. She hasn't got any Classic entries and she will progress with racing. We'll see but it might be that she is particularly effective on the all-weather. Now we know she is a miler so we'll see how she progresses."

Head added that Sibila Spain will make her comeback in the Prix Edmond Blanc at Saint-Cloud on April 2.

The equivalent event for colts, the Prix du Beauvaisis, was taken in smart style by Andre Fabre's Moneyman. The son of Kingman has Classic entries for the Wertheimer family, having been bred from US Graded winner Mizz Money, a 500,000gns Tattersalls acquisition by her breeders in late 2018.

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