For the second time in three seasons, the French connection of trainer Jean Dubois, jockey Jean Van Overmeire and Haras de Bonneval’s top-class stallion Siyouni have an exciting two-year-old prospect.
Last year it was the Group II Todman Stakes winner Aylmerton and this time around it is See You Soon who made a winning career debut in Saturday's Kirkham Plate (1000m).
With South African-born jockey Jean Van Overmeire in the saddle, See You Soon came from last of the six starters to defeat the $500,000 I Am Invincible filly Dame Giselle by a short neck with the $230,000 Brazen Beau colt Endorse another two and a quarter lengths back in third..
“She’s a tough little horse, sat last, relaxed nicely and was probably suited by the nice tempo and when I peeled her out she really let rip, which was nice to see at her first start,” Van Overmeire said.
“Shell be a much better horse when she strengthens up and with a bit of time she’ll learn her craft more, I think she will be a very nice horse.”
Dubois confirmed See You Soon would head to the $1 million Golden Gift (1100m) at Rosehill in two weeks provided she pulled up well.
“She has got class because she only had one trial, which was four days. I think that is a bit too soon to run but I did not have much of a choice to get a maiden right now,” he said
“She took a bit of time, I wanted to have her right in the head. she can get a bit stressed as you could see in the barriers she was a bit stressed, so it took a bit of time to get her to settle.”
A homebred for Dr David Chaikin’s Woodpark Stud, who also bred and raced Aylmerton, See You soon was imported in utero with her well-performed dam Soneva (Cherokee Run).
A dual Group III winner in France and a Group III winner in Dubai, Soneva is the dam of the stakes-winner The Blue Eye (Dubawi) who has won at the highest level in Qatar.
It is a pedigree that is not unfamiliar in Australia.
Soneva’s granddam Lakab is the dam of the Listed City Tattersall's Club Cup winner Roanake (USA) as well as the stakes-placed Nureyev's Girl who would earn fame as the dam of Group 1 CJC New Zealand 1000 Guineas winner King’s Rose and the Group II MVRC Alister Clark Stakes winner Hardham.
As can be judged by his 2019 fee of €100,000, the striking Siyouni is having another exceptional year led by the Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) winner Sottsass and the recently retired 6-time Group 1 heroine Laurens.
