Tag Archive for: ParisLongchamp

Blue Rose Cen blooms with Classic glory

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Blue Rose Cen further enhanced her tall reputation with a clear-cut success in the Emirates Poule d’Essai des Pouliches at ParisLongchamp.

Christopher Head’s filly had won each of her three previous starts over the course and distance, including a Group One success in last season’s Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc weekend.

Having looked as good as ever on her reappearance in last month’s Prix de la Grotte, Blue Rose Cen was a hot favourite to provide her trainer with a first Classic win and delivered in style.

Ridden by Aurelien Lemaitre, the daughter of Churchill sat in the slipstream of the pacesetting Sauterne for much of the way before being asked for her effort in the straight.

The response was not immediate, with Blue Rose Cen taking a while to find top gear, but once she did she propelled herself clear of her rivals and was well on top at the line.

Lindy came through to beat Sauterne to the runner-up spot, with Aidan O’Brien’s Never Ending Story and the Karl Burke-trained Swingalong both unable to get involved in the finish.

Head said: “I don’t think that the magnitude of this success has sunk in yet. It’s really incredible.

“Blue Rose Cen is a filly I adore. I’ve been training her since she came to me, and she’s got tougher with time.”

Coral make Blue Rose Cen their 2-1 market leader to complete a Classic double in the French Oaks, the Prix de Diane, while Paddy Power have her as a 3-1 co-favourite alongside Andre Fabre’s Pensee Du Jour and John and Thady Gosden’s recent Newmarket victor Running Lion.

“The goal now is to go for the Prix de Diane Longines. Her pedigree suggests she will be able to go longer.

“We could have contemplated going for the Group One Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, but it’s better to stick with the French programme.”

Lindy’s trainer Christophe Ferland is eager for a rematch in the 10-furlong Prix de Diane.

He said: “Only victory provides for the ultimate experience. Yet in the cold light of day, this second place feels just as good.

“Lindy is great. She finished second in the Prix de la Grotte, and today she did likewise in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches.

“She is a genuine contender for the Prix de Diane. Tonight she will return to her box at Chantilly and we will prepare her calmly, and in a serene frame of mind, for the Prix de Diane. So see you in a month’s time at Chantilly!

“She is capable of winning a Group One race, of that I am sure.”

Never Ending Story could now step up in trip
Never Ending Story could now step up in trip (Brian Lawless/PA)

Never Ending Story was beaten five lengths in fifth and O’Brien could consider a step up in trip with her.

He said: “She ran a clean race. She’s a consistent filly.

“She produced a good finish and should be able to go longer, but, for the moment, nothing has been decided about where she goes next.”

Isaac Shelby edged out in French Guineas thriller

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Trainer Brian Meehan was left frustrated after Isaac Shelby had to make do with the runner-up spot behind shock winner Marhaba Ya Sanafi in the Emirates Poule d’Essai des Poulains at ParisLongchamp.

Winner of two of his three juvenile start last season, including the Group Two Superlative Stakes, Issac Shelby made an impressive reappearance in the Greenham at Newbury three weeks ago.

Meehan immediately ruled out a tilt at the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, instead electing to head for the French equivalent, and he was well fancied to claim Classic glory in the hands of Sean Levey.

The Night Of Thunder colt did little wrong and powered to the lead against the far rail in the straight, but was unable to resist the late surge of the widely unconsidered Marhaba Ya Sanafi.

While proud of his stable star’s performance, Meehan felt he was not seen to best effect.

Meehan said: “We were a bit frustrated by the lack of pace, especially in the first part of the race. It wasn’t fast enough for him, but he ran very well.

“I’m delighted for the horse, for his owner and for the team at home.

“He hasn’t shown the full extent of his talent yet. The best is yet to come, especially in races where there will be more pace.”

Brian Meehan will target Royal Ascot with Issac Shelby
Brian Meehan will target Royal Ascot with Issac Shelby (Mike Egerton/PA)

Meehan confirmed Isaac Shelby will now head for Royal Ascot, where he is entered in both the St James’s Palace Stakes and the Commonwealth Cup.

He added: “We are thinking of Royal Ascot, and in particular the St James’s Palace Stakes for him.”

Marhaba Ya Sanafi, trained by Andreas Schutz and ridden by Mickael Barzalona, was no match for American Flag in last month’s Prix de Fontainebleau, but turned the tables on the favourite, who failed to pick up for Christophe Soumillon and was ultimately a little disappointing in fourth place.

Schutz said: “I’m delighted. I was expecting a great performance from him but relative to finishing in the top five (rather than winning). I was also hoping for more rain.

“He had run well in the Prix de Fontainebleau and I had expected him to improve. The colt had worked well in the company of other of my horses, but I don’t necessarily have much to go on in the morning.

“I have won a lot of Classics in Germany, so I was able to have a calm outlook going into the race. It’s down to my experience!

“I have been in France for seven years and I hope that this victory will mark a new turning point in my career.

“The colt is entered in the Qatar Prix du Jockey-Club, which seems like the logical next step.”

Royal Ascot is next on the agenda for Breizh Sky
Royal Ascot is next on the agenda for Breizh Sky (David Davies/PA)

Royal Ascot is next on the agenda for third-placed Breizh Sky.

Trainer Alessandro Botti said: “It was great. Before the race I was still worried about the draw. But Maxime Guyon rode a great race.

“As things stand, he’s scheduled to go to Royal Ascot for a 1,400-metre race on the straight course. We will try to prepare him for that. It will depend on how the horse recovers.”

Meehan looking forward to French Guineas bid with Isaac Shelby

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Isaac Shelby is “super spot-on” for Sunday’s French 2000 Guineas at ParisLongchamp.

The Brian Meehan-trained Night Of Thunder colt was a runaway winner of the Greenham at Newbury on his three-year-old debut.

Last season’s Superlative Stakes winner carried the famous green and blue Sangster family colours to three victories from four starts, but he has recently been sold to Qatari-based operation Wathnan Racing.

He lines up against nine rivals in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains with Meehan confident he has shown all the right signs for his French mile Classic tilt.

“He has been working great. He’s been super spot-on since the Greenham and we’ve got to go,” said the Manton handler.

“It is very exciting and we’re looking forward to it. I’m very happy with him.”

Isaac Shelby won a dramatic Greenham
Isaac Shelby won a dramatic Greenham (PA)

The form of the Greenham was in effect given a boost when Chaldean, who unseated Frankie Dettori coming out of the stalls before happily bowling along riderless up front, took the Qipco 2000 Guineas in style at Newmarket.

Isaac Shelby, who finished last of seven to Chaldean in the Dewhurst, romped to a three-length success on his return in the Greenham, and Meehan is pleased that Chaldean recovered from his mishap at Newbury.

“It was a nice form boost in a funny sort of way. I’m glad he came back fine after the Greenham and went on and won the Guineas. I thought it was a great race, but it was a shame about the (very soft) ground.

“But Isaac is great. His work is done – it was done before the Greenham. He took it well.

“You just keep them ticking over after a race like that. It’s pretty simple, he doesn’t have anything to prove.

“I know they are saying it will be heavy ground, but it doesn’t really matter what sort of ground we get – we are going to get whatever we get. There’s no point in hoping. It is what it is.

“The thing is, he is there on good to firm and good to soft, so we’ll take our chance.”

Knight was a cosy winner of the Horris Hill Stakes at Newbury
Knight was a cosy winner of the Horris Hill Stakes at Newbury (Neil Morrice/PA)

Knight was another who ran in the Greenham, finishing seventh.

Winner of the Horris Hill over the same course and distance, he never travelled on his three-year-old debut and was beaten some 18 lengths.

“I don’t know what happened at Newbury to be honest, but the horse has bounced out of the Greenham,” said Ed Crisford, who trains in partnership with his father, Simon.

“Whether it was the sticky ground he didn’t get through, I know he’s won on heavy but it had been raining that day it’s very different. He just didn’t go a yard and there’s nothing much to say about that other than it was very disappointing.

“The horse has bounced out of it though and is training good and we always thought he was a much better horse than that. He seems to have come alive and come on for that race, so he’s going to France and hopefully he can run a big race albeit he has to prove it now.

“I’m sure there is going to be lots more upside to come from him and if he gets a good trip round I’m sure he will run a good race.

“It’s going to be a very good race, it always is. The Greenham winner is in there and American Flag looks very good, so there’s plenty of depth.

“But I’m sure he will run a good race and I just want to see him bounce back to form. He deserves to from his two-year-old form and if you look at his record he has had two wins and one blow out and every horse is entitled to a bad day now and again.”

Aidan O’Brien is represented by Leopardstown Guineas Trial scorer Hans Anderson, as the Ballydoyle trainer bids for a sixth win in the Classic.

Ryan Moore rides and told his Betfair blog: “Hans Andersen acquitted himself well enough after beating Al Riffa in his maiden at two, and you had to be delighted with his comeback win at Leopardstown, even if the runner-up came out and disappointed next time.

Hans Andersen impressed Ryan Moore on his comeback at Leopardstown
Hans Andersen impressed Ryan Moore on his comeback at Leopardstown (Damien Storan/PA)

“The step up to a mile for the first time will suit this Frankel colt and he could well find the improvement needed for him to be involved the shake-up.”

The home challenge is a strong one, led by American Flag, who is owned by Malcolm Parrish and trained by Yann Barberot.

The son of Wootton Bassett showed a nice turn of foot to take the Prix de Fontainebleau on heavy ground over course and distance on his second start this term, having previously scored in a Listed race at Saint-Cloud.

Barberot is expecting a big run. He said: “American Flag worked well on the grass (Tuesday). His jockey, Christophe Soumillon, liked the way that he conducted himself.

“The horse is in great shape. He appreciates the very soft terrain and he has a very good mentality.

“He knows Longchamp and I am confident for Sunday.”

Blue Rose Cen charged up for ParisLongchamp glory

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Blue Rose Cen will not be travelling to England this summer, whatever the outcome for the “magical filly” in the French 1000 Guineas at ParisLongchamp on Sunday.

The classy daughter of Churchill is a warm order to land the Emirates Poule d’Essai des Pouliches for trainer Christopher Head, following five wins from her last six starts.

She signed off last season with a five-length victory in the Prix Marcel Boussac and opened her Classic campaign with a cosy defeat of Lindy – who reopposes – in the Group Three Prix de la Grotte over course and distance.

Crucially, Blue Rose Cen will have the heavy ground in the mile Classic that she seems to thrive upon, following heavy rain in Paris this week.

Head said: “She is a really beautiful filly and we are very happy and very lucky to have her – she is a really magical filly.

“We are pretty happy because we are having a very rainy week. It is very good for me. She loves to get her toe in and while it may inconvenience a few, it will not inconvenience her.

“She has been professional all through her two-year-old season and she just keeps doing her thing.

“She doesn’t care what happens around her, she just likes to run and she is just brilliant at it.

“The first start of the season, she was brilliant in front and that wasn’t an easy one, but she did well. She has come out of the race very well and we are lucky enough to go into the race full of confidence. She has always been tough in her races.

“We have not got to her limit, we haven’t seen the max yet. Last time was her first race of the season so we were not hard on her. It wasn’t the point to push her until the limit. Now the French Guineas is pretty much an objective, so we are going to do everything we can to win this race.

“We have decided not to got to Royal Ascot. The owner and I have discussed a lot about it and we really want to focus with the French programme this year.

“We may look at Royal Ascot next year or the year after.”

Never Ending Story made a fine start to her Classic season at Leopardstown
Never Ending Story made a fine start to her Classic season at Leopardstown (Niall Carson/PA)

Aidan O’Brien saddles Never Ending Story, who has five and a half lengths to make up on Blue Rose Cen on their run in the Marcel Boussac but showed her well-being with a cosy win on her seasonal bow at Leopardstown last month.

“She won a Group Three last season and she shaped very well in both starts in Group One afterwards, running better than her final position suggested both times,” jockey Ryan Moore said in his Betfair blog.

“And you had to be very impressed by her return at Leopardstown, when she put the subsequent Guineas third Matilda Picotte away pretty easily.

“This is a good race, as you’d expect, with Group One winners like Blue Rose Cen in the field, but I think she is set to run a big race. She’s in good shape.”

Ryan Moore was impressed by Never Ending Story's return
Ryan Moore was impressed by Never Ending Story’s return (Damien Storan/PA)

The Karl Burke-trained Swingalong provides British interest with connections hopeful she can build on her juvenile campaign which was capped with Group Two glory in York’s Lowther Stakes.

The daughter of Showcasing stepped up to seven furlongs for the first time on her three-year-old debut and finished third to Remarquee in the Fred Darling at Newbury.

Philip Robinson, racing manager to Sheikh Juma Dalmook Al Maktoum, feels she will get a mile, although testing conditions puts doubt in his mind.

“We don’t know about the heavy ground, but she is working well and looks good. She is in great shape,” said the former top jockey.

Swingalong tries a mile for the first time
Swingalong tries a mile for the first time (Mike Egerton/PA)

“Heavy ground is an unknown. She ran well behind Remarquee and I know Bruce Raymond (who shares racing manager responsibilities) thinks she could be in the first three.

“We are very hopeful. She is a very genuine, hard filly who always gives her best.

“They have had a lot of rain over there. If they have it down as heavy, it will be like the Channel. But she has got to taker her chance – this has been the target for a very long time.

“She won the Lowther in style and she’s a lovely big filly. We hope that it is only a matter of time before she lands a big one.

“The trip is not guaranteed, but we are hopeful. She does show a lot of speed, but she never showed any indication of stopping. She was still galloping at the finish and staying on well.

“We lost a shoe at Newmarket, we think about the time they went by her, so we might just have a little bit more in hand – it must have affected her in some way.”

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.”

Head excited to tackle French Guineas with Blue Rose Cen

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Christopher Head is relishing the prospect of securing Classic honours with Blue Rose Cen, who cemented her place as favourite for the French 1000 Guineas with an authoritative display in the Prix de la Grotte at ParisLongchamp on Sunday.

The daughter of Churchill made a splash for the handler during her two-year-old season, providing the the son of Freddy Head with his first Group One success when striking in style on Arc day in the Prix Marcel Boussac.

That impressive five-length success in her final start at two outlined her credentials for the May 14 Classic and she continued her love affair with the French capital’s signature racecourse on her three-year-old return, making all in the hands of Aurelien Lemaitre.

She was quickly shortened to 2-1 favourite from 11-4 by Paddy Power for the Poule d’Essai Des Pouliches and Head confirmed a return to the Paris track would be Blue Rose Cen’s next port of call before potentially stretching out to 10 furlongs for a crack at the Prix de Diane.

“She’s really a fine filly,” said the trainer. “She was very powerful as a two-year-old and now starting her three-year-old season, I’m very happy with her.

“For us in France, the Prix de la Grotte is the main race you need to win to be able to have a fair chance in the Guineas and now we need to wait for potential opponents from across the Channel, but I’m really confident about our filly.

“She has been strong-minded from the beginning and she knows everything. We are just high in the sky with her right now and we can’t wait to try her in the French Guineas. Longchamp looks like her favourite racecourse.

“Then we will see in the Prix de Diane if she stays 2,000 metres.”

Blue Rose Cen to return this weekend

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A return to ParisLongchamp for the French 1000 Guineas is the ultimate goal for the Prix Marcel Boussac heroine Blue Rose Cen ahead of her reappearance in the Prix de la Grotte on Sunday.

The daughter of Churchill made a splash for trainer Christopher Head during her two-year-old season, providing the the son of Freddy Head with his first Group One success when striking in style on Arc day.

The filly ran out an impressive five-length winner of the Boussac on her final start as a juvenile and it is perhaps no surprise Blue Rose Cen is heading back to the French capital at the start of her three-year-old campaign, where she will put her Classic aspirations to the test.

“She is very well and had a very nice winter,” said Head.

“Of course we can’t wait to see her on track again and she is doing very nicely. She is still as she was last year, she didn’t change much and she is going to be pretty much the same.

“She is going to return in the Prix de la Grotte.”

Head also hinted a step up in trip could be on the cards for Blue Cen Rose in the Prix de Diane (Chantilly, June 18) later in the season.

However, before stretching out to 10 furlongs comes under consideration, her early-season target remains a further visit to ParisLongchamp for the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches on May 14, where the handler believes she can put her proven qualities to good use on the big stage.

“Her main aim is the Pouliches, the French Guineas,” continued Head.

“To go to the the Guineas is an easy decision because, of course, we actually know her aptitude on the ground and over the distance.

“We will keep a change of distance for the Prix de Diane in mind, but the main goal is very much the Guineas for us.

“I was sure about her distance last year, about 2,000 metres. But she did so well over the mile last year, so we are just going to keep her at a mile until the Diane and then we will change the programme if we are happy.

“We will see, we still have all our cards in hand for now.”

Head mapping out Classic campaign for Big Rock

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Christopher Head has the Qatar Prix du Jockey Club in his sights having seen Big Rock make all in the Prix la Force at ParisLongchamp.

The Rock Of Gibraltar colt was a Listed winner on the all-weather at Chantilly last month, but was taking a further step up in class for this nine-furlong Group Three assignment.

Big Rock proved more than up to the task and having set a brisk pace from the front in the hands of Aurelien Lemaitre, had enough in reserve to easily brush aside the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained favourite Padishakh and pull two and a half lengths clear at the finish.

Head is now eyeing a run in the Group Three Prix De Guiche won by Vadeni en route to French Derby glory in 2022, before stepping Big Rock up to 10 furlongs for the Jockey Club itself on June 4.

“He is quite a surprise,” said the winning trainer.

“We won a Listed race on the Polytrack with him at the beginning of the season and of course we didn’t know the quality of the horse and if we would be able to go on to the Jockey Club and have that sort of program, but he did the job very well.

“He is a horse who likes to dominate in his race and impact the others with a real race. He did that today and he was quite impressive. The ground was not a problem for him and I think he could do that over even further.

“I still need to talk to the owner to confirm it, but the main idea, provided the horse comes out of the race well, is to go to the Prix de Guiche and then to the Prix du Jockey Club.”

Also in the French capital, Stephane Wattel’s Simca Mille returned to his very best to win the feature Prix d’Harcourt.

A winner four times last season – including when taking the Prix Niel over an extra two furlongs – he bounced back from a disappointing end to the 2022 campaign in the Japan Cup to register the fifth success of his career in the hands of Alexis Pouchin.

There was also little joy for the British and Irish raiders in the Prix Vanteaux as both Richard Hughes’ Sparkling Beauty and Aidan O’Brien’s Delightful struggled to land a blow in a race won in good style by Carlos Laffon-Parias’ Jannah Rose.

Ganay set to stage heavyweight clash between Vadeni and Luxembourg

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Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe runner-up Vadeni is set for a mouthwatering early-season rematch with Luxembourg after connections confirmed the Prix Ganay as his likely comeback target.

A brilliant winner of last year’s French Derby, Vadeni was subsequently supplemented for the Coral-Eclipse and got the better of Mishriff and Native Trail to become the first French-trained winner of the Sandown showpiece in 62 years.

Trainer Jean-Claude Rouget immediately nominated Leopardstown’s Irish Champion Stakes – a race he won with Almanzor in 2016 – as the next port of call, but his latest middle-distance star had to make do with minor honours in third behind the Aidan O’Brien-trained Luxembourg.

The Ballydoyle handler revealed earlier this week he planned to send the latter to France to make his reappearance in the Prix Ganay at ParisLongchamp on April 30, a Group One contest in which Vadeni will make his first competitive appearance since finishing a half-length second to Sir Mark Prescott’s Alpinista in the Arc.

Georges Rimaud, racing manager for owner-breeder the Aga Khan, said: “Vadeni is training OK, he is going to run in the Prix Ganay and we’ll see from there.

“There is not much to say. The horse is fine and doing everything he is being asked to do. All is well.”

When it was suggested a Ganay outing would throw up an exciting clash with Luxembourg, Rimaud added: “That is what we are hoping for anyway. I don’t know if it will be exciting or what, but it will be interesting.”

Erevann after winning at ParisLongchamp
Erevann after winning at ParisLongchamp (Ashley Iveson/PA)

Another Aga Khan-owned colt set to ply his trade at Group One level this season is Vadeni’s stablemate Erevann, who has won four of his five starts and rounded off 2022 with victory in the Prix Daniel Wildenstein on Arc weekend in Paris.

Connections have not got as far as firming up plans for his seasonal debut, but he appears unlikely to travel across the Channel for the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury in May.

“Erevann is the same – he is also doing well,” said Rimaud.

“We’ll decide soon where we go with him. He’ll run over a mile – he’s more of a miler, absolutely.

“He probably won’t go there (Newbury) for his introduction.”