French black-type win for Footsteps 3yo

Trainer Philippe Decouz is a considering a trip to Royal Ascot with Imperiator (3g Footstepsinthesand-Jarhes, by Green Desert) after the three-year-old ran out an easy Listed winner at Chantilly on Thursday.

The Haras de la Perelle-bred son of Footstepsinthesand, who won a Deauville conditions event in October, took the Listed Prix Montenica over six and a half furlongs by three-quarters of a length on his seasonal comeback and Decouz feels it is a run that bodes well for the future,

“He was not totally wound up for this, so it was most encouraging,” Decouz told TDN. “He is very consistent and has improved quite a bit over the winter. A mile is probably too far for him so my idea is to target the G3 Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot (June 18) with probably a run in the G3 Prix Djebel at Maisons-Laffitte in between.”

The European Flat season has yet to hit full gear but Footstepsinthesand has now had two Listed winners in France in 2014 with Baby Foot (3c Footstepsinthesand-Baby Houseman, Oasis Dream), winning the Listed Prix de la Californie at Cagnes-sur-Mer in February.