Moutonhoek’s Gr1 winning resident sire The United States had yet another impressive update to his stellar female line this week.

Durable six-year-old mare Against Rules picked up the second feature race win of her career when she scored a facile three and a half length win in the Listed Prix de la Porte de Madrid at Saint-Cloud on Tuesday.
Anchored last of the bunch by a confident Maxime Guyon, she travelled easily into contention as they fanned out in the homestraight and swooped on the lead with 300 metres remaining.

Staying on powerfully in the testing conditions, she had herrivals strung out at the finish to prompt trainer Stephane Wattel to up his ambitions. “She gets better with age and has a great liking for that sort of ground,”he explained. AI thought beforehand she might need the race, but obviously didn’t as she won very nicely. Usually, atthis time of year when the ground gets better I give her a break but this time I’ll keep her in training and aim her at the [G3] Prixde Barbeville.”

The mare has now won 10 of her 36 outings.

Against Rules’ third dam is the outstanding producer Mill Princess (by Mill Reef), who also ranks as fourth dam of millionaire and Gr1 winner The United States.

The United States is also a full brother to dual Gr1 winner Hydrangea. Winner of both the Gr1 Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron Stakes and Gr1 Qipco British Champions F&M Stakes in 2017, Hydrangea is likely to have a campaign aimed at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in 2018.

A son of the world’s premier sire Galileo, The United States won seven times including the Gr1 Ranvet Stakes and earned more than $2 million during a career which saw the chestnut race competitively from two to seven.