Lianga (horse)

Lianga began her racing career in a race over 900 metres at Saint-Cloud Racecourse in May and won by one and a half lengths from the favourite Hippodamia. She followed up three weeks later by winning again over the same course and distance. The filly's first major test came at Longchamp Racecourse in June in the Prix du Bois over 1000 metres. She moved up to take the lead just after half way and drew clear in the closing stages to in by two and a half lengths from the colt Soyez Brave with Hippodamia in fourth. Lianga was then stepped up in class and distance again for the Group One Prix Robert Papin over 1100 metres at Maisons-Laffitte Racecourse on 29 July. Ridden by Yves Saint-Martin she started 2.2/1 second favourite behind the British-trained colt Habat, a six-length winner of the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot. Lianga was among the leaders from the start before accelerating to win by two lengths from Soyez Brave with Hippodamia third and Habat a disappointing sixth.[4] On 19 August, the filly started second favourite behind the undefeated colt Nonoalco in the Prix Morny over 1200 metres at Deauville Racecourse. After starting very poorly,[5] Lianga recovered to take the lead 400 metres from the finish but after being overtaken by the favourite she faded in the closing stages and finished fourth of the seven runners behind Nonoalco, Insistence and the Irish-trained Cake.[4]

In 1974, Lianga moved stables and was trained for the rest of her racing career by the Argentinian Angel Penna Sr.. She began her second season in the Prix Imprudence over 1400 metres at Maisons-Laffitte on 5 April. She started the 3/5 favourite and won by three lengths from Insistence. A month later, Lianga was made the 6/5 favourite for the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches over 1600 metres at Longchamp but finished eighth of the nine runners behind the 30/1 outsider Dumka.[1]

Lianga was off the course for three months before reappearing in the Prix Maurice de Gheest over 1300 metres at Deauville in August in which she was matched against older horses. Ridden by Peter Cook, she won easily by five lengths from Tour Nobel with the British-trained New Model (a close second to Saritamer in the July Cup on his previous start) a further three lengths back in fourth. Lianga (reunited with Saint-Martin) faced Nonoalco for the second time in the Prix du Rond Point over 1600 metres at Longchamp on 8 September. Lianga took the lead on the outside in the last 200 metres but was caught in the final strides and beaten a short neck by Nonoalco with Lisaro third and Northern Taste fourth. Three weeks later, the filly (coupled in the betting with her stable companion Mount Hagen) started second favourite behind Nonoalco in the Group One Prix du Moulin over the same course and distance. Racing on very soft ground, she finished third behind Mount Hagen and Northern Taste, with Nonoalco unplaced. On her final appearance failed to reproduce her best form in the Prix de la Forêt on 27 October, finishing sixth of the sixteen runners behind Northern Taste.[1]

On her first appearance of 1975, Lianga won a minor race at Évry in May, beating Bayraan by one and a half lengths. She started favourite for the Prix de la Porte Maillot on 29 June at Longchamp, but was beaten a neck by the three-year-old Hamada, with Boldboy and Northern Taste fourth and fifth in a blanket finish. In the following month she was sent to England and started at odds of 10/1[6] for the July Cup (then a Group Two race) over six furlongs at Newmarket Racecourse. Her opponents included several major winners including Steel Heart (Duke of York Stakes), Boone's Cabin (Wokingham Stakes), Blue Cashmere (Temple Stakes), Realty (Prix du Gros Chêne) Auction Ring (July Stakes) and Roman Warrior. Ridden by Saint-Martin, Lianga took the lead in the final furlong and won by half a length and a neck from Steel Heart and Realty. Timeform described the July Cup as "an exciting contest" and reported that Lianga appeared to win "with something to spare".[7]

Lianga was moved up from sprinting to compete over longer distances in her next four races. She returned to England for the Sussex Stakes over one mile at Goodwood Racecourse and produced a strong finish to take third place beaten a neck and a short head by the leading British milers Bolkonski and Rose Bowl. At Deauville on 10 August, the filly started 2.8/1 second favourite behind the Prix du Palais Royal winner Dandy Lute in the Prix Jacques Le Marois over 1600 metres. The other contenders included Sky Commander and Delmora, first and second in the Prix Maurice de Gheest and the Prix Messidor winner Son of Silver. Lianga won easily, drawing away from her rivals in the closing stages to take the Group One prize by six lengths from Sky Commander. According to Timeform, she "brushed aside" her opponents "as though they were selling platers".[7] The filly started favourite for the Prix du Rond Point on 7 September but finished third behind Delmora and El Toro, to whom she was conceding twelve pounds and three pounds respectively. In the Prix du Moulin three weeks later, Lianga again started favourite, but finished fourth behind Delmora, Son of Silver and Riot in Paris. Timeform expressed the view that she was an unlucky loser and "would almost certainly have won with a clear run".[7]

A week after her defeat in the Moulin, Lianga returned to sprinting at Longchamp for the Prix de l'Abbaye over 1000 metres on 5 October and was made 6/5 favourite despite racing over the distance for the first time in two years. Her opponents included Swingtime (Cork and Orrery Stakes), Realty, Bay Express and Hot Spark (Flying Childers Stakes). Lianga produced a strong late run to take the lead in the final strides and won by two short heads from the three-year-old colts Primo Rico and Mendip Man. Three weeks later, the filly started favourite for the Prix de la Forêt over 1400 metres but produced one of her few poor performances, finishing eighth of the fifteen runners behind the two-year-old Roan Star. Immediately after the race it was announced that Lianga had been retired, but she returned for one more race. In November, she was sent to England and started the 2/1[6] favourite for the Vernons Sprint Cup over six furlongs at Haydock Park Racecourse. Racing on very soft ground, she was restrained by Saint-Martin in the early stages before accelerating a quarter mile from home to win by three-quarters of a length from Roman Warrior with Garda's Revenge (Lianga's two-year-old brother) in third.[7]