^{I’m afraid I do not have full details of the Toulouse race shown above.}

SUMMARY

Swedish Shave won a good allowance race at Longchamp recently in fast time. In doing so he beat several horses that had run well in pattern company. He had almost certainly been unfit on his seasonal debut (due to the closure of the Chantilly gallops) and his trainer feels he did not stay a mile when beaten at Vichy on his only other start this year.

On his last start in 2,000, Swedish Shave defeated Chichestenango who went on to win a G3 on his next run 17 days later. Chicestenango recently took the G1 Prix Lupin.

Prior to this run, Swedish Shave had been a hot favorite when dropped down to a high priced claimer at Longchamp. He looked like winning at the eighth pole but the race was at a mile and he just seemed to fail to get the trip.

Before this Swedish Shave had taken a maiden race at Vichy, enjoyed a rough passage in another maiden and finished third to the flying machine Marliana over an inadequate six furlongs on his debut.

ANALYSIS

At seven furlongs, Swedish Shave has won three times out of five and looks a solid Group class horse at the distance. Indeed, his trainer, Richard Gibson, has him entered in the upcoming G3 Prix du Palais Royal at Longchamp over seven furlongs. In this race he is set to face smart older horses but has a real shot (providing the Godolphin monster Three Points (who has run 115 Beyer) does not go)..

Richard Gibson is convinced that seven furlongs is Swedish Shave’s distance and that the horse does not really get a mile. However, from an American perspective, this is actually a good thing since many smart analysts believe that European seven furlong horses make the best milers in America. Breeders’ Cup Mile winners such as Last Tycoon, Barathea and Silic provide good evidence of this.

In addition, US races are run around tight courses on firm turf. Swedish Shave has shown he can get seven furlongs on a straight course on yielding ground at a strong pace. Why shouldn’t he last a furlong longer around a tight turn on firm going off a slow early gallop which is the norm in America?

In this regard it is worth pointing out that Swedish Shave’s sister put up her two best lifetime performances at a mile. It is also interesting to see that Swedish Shave has Nijinsky and Ribot in his extended pedigree. It’d be pretty unusual for a horse with both these sires in his background not to get at least a mile.

My speed figures indicate that Swedish Shave is right up there with the best 3YO’s that have so far run on turf in both America and Europe (admittedly the 3Y0’s are below par so far in Europe this year). He certainly looks fast enough to win in Graded stakes company in the US and it doesn’t take much imagination to see him developing into a Breeders’ Cup Mile candidate. At a modest enough price, he looks a bargain.

N.B. I’d say Swedish Shave looks a really nice prospect for the Oceanside stakes at Del Mar on July 18^{th and the G3 La Jolla Handicap three weeks later at the same track.}

PRESS REPORTS

May 11^{th 2001 - Paris Turf}

Finally, two races gave a bit more relief again to this beautiful afternoon. First came the Price de Tivoli, over 1.400 meters (7f) , that permitted us to review the promising Lunasalt (Salse out of Lunafairy), absent for eight months and half since his success in the Price du Haras de la Huderie, a sought after summer listed at Deauville. After being close to the front, he ‘stuck’ whereas, in the lead, the fast chestnut of Sten

Thynell, Swedish Shave (by Midyan) was never challenged, carrying away the race very pleasingly before the valorous Danella, still in his wake, and her follower Crackchope, who put in a promising reappearance.

November 1st 2,000 - Paris Turf

Victory went to the protégé of Richard Gibson, Swedish Shave, ridden by Gérald Mossé who lulled his four adversaries, before kicking on at the distance (eighth pole) to score in the modest enough time of 1'29 'The consistent Chichicastenango seized the runner up spot, a head in front of Kisser, who could have taken second place if he had floated a little at the end. On a very slow track (penetrometer 4,9), the chestnut Swedish Shave, son of Midyan, already looks a professional. After a good beginning in a class ‘B’, he won a class «C» at Vichy, then found a mile further than he wanted to travel. He made his return on 1.400 meters a marvel, unveiling a certain faculty to the deep soils.

July 18th 2,000 - Paris Turf

It was under a beautiful sun and an elevated temperature that we were presented with the

ten colts of the Price de Cusset, the first race of the meeting.

Unlucky at the time of his last start at Saint-Cloud, Swedish Shave cleared himself completely while taking this test very easily. Gérald Mossé, winner, of three races Sunday in Slovakia and tired of a long journey return, confided: “We had a very good trip inside. The colt had a little experience and it has proven that he possessed a certain quality.”

^{EXTENDED PEDIGREE}