Ateem bolts up in Listed Feature at Cagnes-sur-Mer
The four-time Listed-placed Ateem gained big black type when winning the Listed Grand Prix Grand du Département yesterday at Cagnes-sur-Mer by a decisive margin. The six-year-old son of Dark Angel slotted in behind the leaders as Alkuin took up the running at a solid gallop. Opening up well on the turn for home, Ateem got down to business and ran on strongly to win uncontested as Brokeback Mountain claimed the runner-up position by a length and three quarters. Libello, who had raced off the pace throughout, made a late surge on the stands rail but failed to reach the leaders and finished third by three quarters of a length.
Bred by Eric Puerari, Madame Patrick Ades-Hazan and Dominique Li, the winner was a €150,000 Arqana yearling graduate, who also went through the ring at the Tattersalls 2018 Autumn Horses in Training Sale. He is a half-brother to the Listed-placed Spotlight Dream, out of an unplaced daughter of Montjeu in Jeu De Plume. She is a half-sister to seven black-type performers, including the Group victor Hearthstead Maison, Listed winner and Gr.1-placed Rave Reviews and Gr.1 1,000 Guineas-placed Moth. This is the immediate family of the Gr.1 winner and sire Groom Dancer.
