Tag Archive for: Bay Bridge

Iresine downs big guns in Prix Ganay

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Champion Stakes hero Bay Bridge could finish only third as Iresine came from last to first to cause a minor upset in the Prix Ganay at ParisLongchamp.

Making his first appearance since edging out Derby and King George hero Adayar on Champions Day at Ascot in October, Sir Michael Stoute’s Bay Bridge was sent off favourite to double his top-level tally in what appeared a strong renewal of the first Group One of the year in Europe.

The five-year-old raced with plenty of exuberance for much of the 10-furlong contest before being delivered with his challenge in the straight by Ryan Moore – and while he ultimately came up a little short, connections were justifiably encouraged by his performance.

Bay Bridge (second left) winning the Champion Stakes at Ascot
Bay Bridge (second left) winning the Champion Stakes at Ascot (John Walton/PA)

“I thought he ran a very good race, a very courageous race and got a little bit tired. For his first run of the season I think it was a very good performance,” part-owner James Wigan told Sky Sports Racing.

“Ryan said he wished they’d gone a little bit faster early on, he was quite keen. He said he came there thinking he was going to win and conditions told a little bit.

“He’s a big, strong horse and I think the race will do him good.”

When asked where Bay Bridge could make his next appearance, he added: “I would think the Tattersalls Gold Cup in Ireland or else Ascot (Prince of Wales’s Stakes).”

Iresine, trained by Jean-Pierre Gauvin, won the Prix Foy at ParisLongchamp in September before successfully stepping up to just shy of two miles to win the Group One Prix Royal-Oak.

He was narrowly beaten by the reopposing Simca Mille on his reappearance in the Prix d’Harcourt three weeks ago, but raised his game to turn the tables – charging home under a well judged ride from Marie Velon to score by a length and a quarter.

Velon said: “He’s a very special horse, he was amazing today and knew his job very well.

“He’s a very good horse who can do anything (trip-wise). I don’t know if he will go the Grand Prix de Chantilly or the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.”

Simca Mille beat Bay Bridge to the runner-up spot by a head, with Vadeni – winner of the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown last summer before being placed in the Irish Champion Stakes and the Arc – never threatening to land a telling blow in fourth.

Bay Bridge returns to the fray in red-hot renewal of Prix Ganay

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Sir Michael Stoute has notched 11 Group One victories in France during in a storied career, although the Prix Ganay has thus far eluded him. Bay Bridge will bid to fill that hole on the master trainer’s CV when he lines up at ParisLongchamp.

The Newmarket handler was set to send last season’s Champion Stakes hero to Sandown for his first run of his five-year-old campaign, but decided against taking on former Derby winner Adayar in Friday’s Gordon Richards Stakes, which is perhaps just as well given the fixture was ultimately abandoned.

Instead, he will lock horns with Vadeni, who beat him in the Coral-Eclipse, and fellow Group One scorers Place Du Carrousel, Onesto and Iresine, who are among a field of eight in Sunday’s extended 10-furlong contest.

Bay Bridge started 2022 off by winning the Group Three Brigadier Gerard at Sandown in very taking fashion and was then beaten a length by State Of Rest in the Prince of Wales’s Stake at Royal Ascot.

While things did not go according to plan when hampered as favourite in the Eclipse, he took Baaeed’s unbeaten record and held off Adayar on his final start to gain Group One laurels at Ascot.

James Wigan, who co-owns the son of New Bay with Ballylinch Stud, explained the thinking behind the switch from a planned outing in Esher to a trip to Paris.

“I think he’s fine and has wintered well,” he said. “Sir Michael was thinking of going to Sandown and we changed our minds.

“Sandown was our original thought, but then he would have carried a penalty for being a Group One winner after August, so being 7lb worse off with Adayar would have meant he would have a hard race at any rate, so we felt he might as well have a hard race in a Group One as in a Group Three.

“There are a few other Group One winners in it and it won’t be easy, but he races off level weights and this is a good starting point.”

Bay Bridge looks set for another big season with mid-summer targets fluid at present.

Wigan added: “There will be the usual pattern of races for him. You have the Tattersalls Gold Cup at the end of May, then there’s the Prince of Wales’s, which he was second in last year. You have things like the Juddmonte International. You have to take them one at a time. I’m sure Sir Michael knows where he’ll want to go, but this is a good spot to begin.”

Real World will use the Ganay as a stepping stone for Newbury's Lockinge Stakes
Real World will use the Ganay as a stepping stone for Newbury’s Lockinge Stakes (David Davies/PA)

The other British raider is Real World, trained by Saeed bin Suroor, who had the misfortune to be second to the brilliant Baaeed in both the Lockinge and the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot last year.

The Godolphin handler hopes he can break his Group One duck this term, with Oisin Murphy coming in for the ride on the six-year-old, but feels the Ganay might be a tall order.

Bin Suroor said: “We are going to France and this will be like a preparation for the Lockinge.

“When he goes to the Lockinge, this race will have put him spot on. The Lockinge is a mile, but he won over a mile and a quarter in a Listed race at Newbury.

“France looks a very tough race. We look it as a preparation for the Lockinge, but it would be nice if he could win.

“He’s very good and we are very happy with him.”

Jean-Claude Rouget’s Vadeni was second to Alpinista in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe when beaten half a length.

Vadeni winning the Coral-Eclipse last season
Vadeni winning the Coral-Eclipse last season (Nigel French/PA)

Christophe Soumillon is the Churchill colt’s regular rider and considers the Ganay to be a remarkably competitive race this season.

“I’m very happy to see him back on the track,” the jockey told Sky Sports Racing.

“He worked quite well on Tuesday, we all know the horse isn’t 100 per cent fit and it is the first run of the season.

“He’s going to have a tough season, for sure, we couldn’t believe the Ganay would be that strong.

“I have been doing this job for 25 years now and I haven’t seen a Ganay with so many Group One horses.

“It’s like a strong Champion Stakes race or, with less runners, the Arc – it’s a tough race.”

Brigadier Gerard comeback beckons for Desert Crown

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Desert Crown is back in stronger work, with Sir Michael Stoute eyeing a familiar race for his return to action.

Last year’s impressive Derby winner has not been seen since it looked like he had the racing world at his feet.

However, speaking after he watched his newcomer Passenger bolt up in the Wood Ditton at Newmarket, Stoute nominated Sandown’s Brigadier Gerard Stakes on May 25 for his comeback target.

It is a race Stoute has farmed over the years, winning it 12 times – most recently with Bay Bridge last year who went on to land the Champion Stakes.

“We’re getting him back, he’s in strong work now and we’re looking forward to seeing how he progresses, but so far things have gone very smoothly,” said Stoute.

“He’s done all his foundation work and went into strong work yesterday.

“I think we are (on target for the Brigadier Gerard). All is going well now – the athlete is back in strong work.”

Of Bay Bridge, who beat 2021 Derby winner Adayar and Baaeed in the Champion Stakes, he said:  “He’s in good shape and will either go to Sandown (Gordon Richards Stakes) or to France (Prix Ganay).”