Royal Chapel Kingman's 100th stakes winner

Two-year-old Kingman filly Royal Chapel held on gamely to land the 1600m Listed Grand Criterium de Bordeaux yesterday becoming her sire's 100th Northern Hemisphere-bred stakes winner. He is the second-fastest stallion to achieve this landmark behind only Frankel.

Taken from the European Bloodstock News, 30th September 2025:

The Manzanita Stables homebred was allowed time to find her stride in the hands of Stephane Pasquier, who gave her a patient ride. Sporting a hood for the first time, she settled towards the rear of the pack, travelling sweetly into the straight. Switched to the centre, she picked up well to move past her rivals and showed a likeable attitude to earn a second career success and first Stakes win on just her third start. Waiting For You (Bated Breath) endured a troubled passage in the straight, and once in the clear, narrowed the deficit to a quarter of a length to take second. Zambezi won the battle for blacktype to take third, a further three quarters of a length behind.

Fifth on her debut at Chantilly over 1400m, Royal Chapel made no mistake second time out in a 1600m conditions race at Clairefontaine last month. She is out of the $1m Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale graduate Gingham, who was purchased there as a maiden by Claiborne Farm in 2020 after winning a Listed level Stakes at Santa Anita and placing multiple times in Graded Stakes company. Gingham is also a full-sister to the Listed winner Blackadder and they are out of the Gr.2 New York Handicap winner Owsley.

Royal Chapel holds an entry in the Gr.3 Prix des Reservoirs at Deauville next month, as well as in the Gr.3 Prix Miesque at Chantilly, with the former looking more likely given she is now two from two over 1600m.