Even the most cynical of onlookers would have been hard pressed not to crack a smile as the baldy-faced She’s An Artist (Trapeze Artist) blazed a trail up the Flemington straight on Saturday, evoking shades of the much adored Apache Cat (Lion Cavern) in the process. 

And the eight-time Group 1 winner isn’t the only high-class sprinter that She’s An Artist has earned comparisons with in the aftermath of Saturday’s demolition job, such was the effortless manner in which she clocked the fastest last 600 metres, 400 metres and 200 metres splits of the entire meeting under nothing more than a hands and heels ride from Craig Williams.

Champion sprinter Nature Strip (Nicconi) created a similar impression when winning by 4.5 lengths at the very same meeting back in 2018, although he arrived at that contest with significantly more race experience than the lightly-raced and beautifully-bred She’s An Artist, who is out of an unraced sister to Group 1 winner and elite-level producing stallion Foxwedge (Fastnet Rock). 

Despite winning with consummate ease on debut a few weeks prior, even Astute Bloodstock’s Louis Le Metayer, who purchased She’s An Artist in conjunction with her trainer Ciaron Maher for $175,000 at the 2023 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, could not have envisaged such a dominant display on just her second career start over the 1100 metres. 

“We were a bit gobsmacked, to be honest,” Le Metayer told ANZ News. “We were hoping she could win, but we didn’t think she could put three and a half lengths on a field like that.

“The way she won was really impressive and what’s encouraging is that all the form experts have been talking about her very positively, thinking that she could be a top class sprinter.”

It’s easy to see why the form gurus have been waxing lyrical about She’s An Artist’s latest triumph, with the previously unbeaten Fieldelo (Deep Field) and last-start Group 3 placegetter Bridal Waltz (Snitzel) filling the minor placings, albeit unable to lay a glove on the flashy chestnut. 

The fifth placegetter, Superlicious (Written Tycoon), was another who brought stakes form into Saturday’s contest, whilst the fourth home, Savagery Vibe (Brutal), was only 2.75 lengths behind the Yulong Stud-bound First Settler (Written Tycoon) in the Danehill Stakes (Gr 2, 1100m) earlier in the season. 

Le Metayer could therefore be forgiven for getting a little ahead of himself, but his feet remain firmly on the ground when it comes to the future of his latest excitement machine, who will bid to maintain her unbeaten record in the Creswick Stakes (Listed, 1200m) back at Flemington on July 6 before more than likely heading for a brief freshen-up.

“We’re absolutely thrilled, but we’re just trying to keep the lid on it,” he said. “We’re also realistic and mindful that so many things can go wrong with horses, but at the moment we’re dreaming.

“I think she could be very, very good. It wouldn’t surprise me if she’s the real deal, but they’ve got to do it, haven’t they? She’s only won a maiden and a handicap race – it’s a big difference once they start competing with the elite horses. 

“It’s easy to look good when you’re competing against a decent bunch of horses, but it’s under pressure when you find out who the really top horses are.

“I haven’t thought about a Group 1 race yet because I think it’s a bit premature, and when you start spruiking horses they often let you down. It’s better to set low expectations and be pleasantly surprised than to be spruiking and then disappointed.”

With Craig Williams suspended for Saturday week’s Flemington meeting, Jamie Melham will renew her association with She’s An Artist in the Creswick Stakes (Listed, 1200m) having partnered her to a breathless maiden victory at Bendigo on debut.

Despite her unblemished race record thus far, it hasn’t always been plain sailing for She’s An Artist according to Le Metayer, with a few setbacks delaying her much-anticipated debut until late on in her three-year-old season. 

Her owners, which include an all-ladies syndicate of 20 women, have therefore had to be patient, but are thankfully reaping the rewards as a result. 

“She was precocious, but she had a couple of injuries as a young horse and you’ve always got to make sure that they have recovered sufficiently for when they come back under pressure,” Le Metayer said. 

“We’re very hands on in the management of our horses and I’m a big believer in patience. We’re all about longevity and trying to manage beautiful long careers, and if you give young horses a bit of time to strengthen and grow then they generally pay you back, provided that they have the ability of course. 

“This filly is quite small, but she’s extremely athletic and she just has the best action and temperament. She’s so sweet, she’s like a pony and she’s a very cuddly sort of horse.

“We often forget to promote the animal itself and the affection that people get from owning a horse. It was a great joy when some of the lady owners turned up to see her at Ballarat last year and she was in a box giving them kisses.”

Such was Le Metayer’s belief in She’s An Artist, the leading bloodstock agent was more than happy to secure another daughter of Widden Stud stallion Trapeze Artist at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale back in January. 

Signing the docket for $300,000 alongside Francis and Christine Cook’s Mystery Downs and Ciaron Maher Bloodstock, the well-bred filly is out of Hummalong (Hallowed Crown) – a half-sister to stakes winning siblings Tycoon Humma (Capitalist) and Humma Humma (Denman), the latter of whom is the dam of this season’s Maribyrnong Trial Stakes (Listed, 1000m) placegetter Price Tag (Zoustar).

The soon-to-be two-year-old filly is in the early stages of her education and has been sent into the same stable as her paternal sibling, with She’s An Artist far from the only promising horse Le Metayer has in training with the Maher juggernaut.

Favourable mentions were also given to two-time winning British import Mr Monaco (Territories) and unraced juvenile Who I Think I Am (So You Think), who is expected to make her eagerly-awaited debut in the coming weeks. But it was another rising three-year-old filly whom Le Metayer is particularly excited about with a view to next season. 

The horse in question, Cherish Me (Brazen Beau), beat home a quartet of subsequent winners when making light work of the Geelong Diamond (1100m) on debut, before things didn’t quite go to plan for her as a well-fancied second favourite in the Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m). 

“We’re looking forward to her,” Le Metayer said. “Pardon my French, but Jamie [Melham] said it was a s*** of a race in the Blue Diamond. 

“She was possibly over the top by then. She had been in work a long, long time, and it was a very hot day. I think she probably didn’t show her true talent that day, but that’s ok.

“I think she’ll make a phenomenal three-year-old and four-year-old, because she has a lot of scope and length and a beautiful big action. She’s actually got a stayer’s action, very loose, so I’m sure she’ll stay a mile. 

“We’re going to kick her off in a Saturday handicap race for three-year-olds or possibly the Atlantic Jewel [Stakes], but the idea is to try and have her third up for the Thousand Guineas in Melbourne.” 

While Cherish Me and She’s An Artist were sourced from the yearling sales, Le Metayer has also enjoyed plenty of success importing tried horses from his native France, most notably with dual Australian Cup (Gr 1, 2000m) hero Harlem (Champs Elysees) and this season’s Turnbull Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) placegetter Eliyass (Le Havre). 

The removal of a knee chip means that a period on the sidelines beckons for the latter, who burst onto the Australian scene this time last year with a trio of stakes victories from his first three starts down under. Le Metayer, however, is hoping to unearth just the horse to fill that void at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, one who boasts a very similar profile and name to boot. 

“We’ve got a really nice French miler who’s going to run on Saturday called Elamaz with Gai and Adrian,” he revealed. “He’s a horse we bought at the Arc Sale last year. It’s his first prep in Australia, so we don’t have too high expectations, but he was a very good miler in France. He had seven races for four wins and three seconds at sort of Listed level, so we hope he could be a really nice horse for us.

“We also another really nice import called Mr Monaco. He is a beautiful horse that we bought in England last year with Ciaron [Maher] and we have big hopes for him as well.”

Le Metayer’s association with the Maher stable has been a fruitful one, and not just on the racecourse. The pair have also teamed up to great effect in the sales ring, most recently with dual Group 2 winner Tiz Invincible (I Am Invincible), who sold for an eye-watering $2.8 million to Coolmore’s Tom Magnier from the Ciaron Maher Racing draft at last month’s Inglis Chairman’s Sale. 

That auction also saw the first foray into the consignment market for Le Metayer’s Astute Bloodstock, who sold the Maher-trained Listed winner A Little Deep (Deep Field) for $800,000 and the well-related Last Girl Love (Snitzel) for $550,000. Having also purchased the dam of star mare Amelia’s Jewel (Siyouni) on behalf of Peter Walsh’s Amelia Park back in 2018, Le Metayer watched with a vested interest as the Group 1 winner lit up the Inglis auditorium and sold for a jaw-dropping $3.8 million under the Segenhoe Stud umbrella at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale. 

Off the back of such a positive start, it’s unlikely to be the last time that Astute Bloodstock appears on the consignors’ list at the major Australasian broodmare sales. 

“The Chairman’s Sale was a great day for us and it’s definitely something we want to do more of,” Le Metayer revealed.

“We want to specialize in buying fillies and we’re trying to give our clients a good experience through the whole process – from buying to managing to selling.

“It’s something we’re going to do more of, predominantly for our own clients and for our previous yearling purchases. Hopefully it can snowball from there.

“We also build a lot of friendships along the way. When you have a good horse, it tends to bring people together.”

Evidence of that sentiment is currently unfolding in France, where Le Metayer is leading a group of 14 Australian owners and breeders on a tour through the famous thoroughbred regions of Chantilly and Normandy. 

The premium, four-and-a-half day experience is designed to showcase the very best of the French breeding and racing industries, featuring visits to the renowned Chantilly training centre and the Aga Khan’s private racing stables, as well as introductions with leading French trainers like Francis Graffard, Nicolas Clement and Andre Fabre. 

“Every year I organise this tour with some clients, friends, owners and breeders, and it’s always been the starting point of new relationships,” Le Metayer said. 

“This tour is what led us to buy the dam of Amelia’s Jewel, because I showed Siyouni to Peter Walsh and he was so impressed that he said ‘let’s buy a mare to breed to him’.

“The idea is to have a fun experience and take some of our clients who are interested in learning a bit more about the industry globally. It’s one of our points of difference. Gai Waterhouse said to me ten years ago ‘you need to work on your point of difference, you’re French, so use it’. This concept is a product of that thinking. 

“I’m lucky to work in my passion and to be involved in the industry at a global level. We’re quite boutique – small in numbers but hopefully big in results – and every now and then we get a couple of good horses, so it’s good fun.”

With a bit of luck, She’s An Artist may well find herself in the Louvre by the time next year’s tour comes around.