A colourbearer for Gousserie Racing and Ecuries Serge Stempniak, the five-for-five G1 Prix du Jockey Club hero ran out a three-quarter length winner of the G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano when last seen in August.

“Why shouldn't I be optimistic? I'm coming in with a horse that's unbeaten,” said Rouget, who is seeking his second Arc after the success of Sottsass (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) in 2020.

“We know in any race anything can happen and we're coming to the end of the season, but he gets three kilos from the older horses, which is important. I'm optimistic in the sense that he goes into the race unbeaten and has done everything we have asked him to so far.

“It's been six weeks [since Deauville] and the six weeks have passed very quickly.”

The 2400-metre Arc will be the colt's first try over that trip and at that racecourse. In the lead up to Sunday's card, the weather also appears to be playing fair which is good news for several contenders.

“Obviously we can't be certain, but with the way he finishes his races and also the fact his sire was a winner over the distance gives us hope that he can stay,” he continued. “If the Prix du Jockey Club [French Derby] had been over a mile and a half, as it was in the past, he would have won that.

“Last year Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}) was in the same place for us and he ran really well [finished second to Alpinista (GB) (Frankel {GB})]. I'm not worried about the course, he's an easy horse once he's settled in his race and there are plenty of horses that have won the Arc that also hadn't run at Longchamp before.

“I think it is going to be good for everyone, which is an interesting point about this year's race. In the past the race was often criticised for its heavy ground and the fact horses are tired, but this year I think the ground is going to suit everyone.”

Ground Key For Feed The Flame And Fantastic Moon

G1 Grand Prix de Paris winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Feed The Flame (GB) (Kingman {GB})'s camp is hoping for a bit of ease in the ground. Pascal Bary is seeking his first Arc, and is also confident in his Jean-Louis Bouchard-owned colt, who was second to Fantastic Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) in the G2 Prix Niel earlier this month.

“He's a very good horse, he has a very good temperament and he gets the mile and a half really, really well,” said Bary. “I think on the day of the Arc, the ground will be slightly different and he will be more comfortable on that ground.

“Anything a bit softer than the ground he encountered in the Jockey Club, Grand Prix de Paris and Prix Niel would be appreciated.”

The connections of G1 Deutsches Derby hero and Prix Niel scorer Fantastic Moon were pleased with their colt's Tuesday work at Munich and have not ruled out the Arc at this stage. Raced by the Liberty Racing Syndicate, Fantastic Moon would need to be supplemented.

“Fantastic Moon's work in Munich was very good,” said Liberty Racing Syndicate's Lars-Wilhelm Baumgarten on X on Tuesday morning. “The trainer will have a discussion with the owners about the possibilities with an eye on ground conditions. The Arc is in any case again a real option, if the sun continues.”

Another expected supplement is the Coolmore partners' Continuous (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), who won the G1 St Leger for Aidan O'Brien in mid-September.

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It was not until the turn into the straight that the eventual winner truly engaged and while he had all rivals still to pass there, he was in their range and ready to fire his bullets. Ryan Moore committed first on the Irish Derby runner-up Adelaide River (Ire) (Australia {GB}) with the 8-5 favourite Soul Sister (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) chasing hard, but it was Feed The Flame who was finishing with the biggest rattle on the outside. Looking as if he had jumped in 100 metres from the finish, the 13-5 second favourite was in domineering mood as he registered a length verdict over Adelaide River, with the Oaks heroine Soul Sister a neck away in third.

“He's a great horse,” Bary said. “The Prix du Jockey Club came a little soon for him and 2400 metres is his true distance. He broke slow, but he needs time to warm up and he has terrific acceleration. I won this race for Juddmonte with Zambezi Sun and both horses had exactly the same career up to this, winning the same first two races and then finishing fourth in the Jockey Club, so history can repeat itself sometimes. We will give him a break now and wait for September and the [G2] Prix Niel and then the Arc.”

Feed The Flame strikes late to win the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris at @paris_longchamp! pic.twitter.com/Q2GHNkxA3V

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) July 14, 2023

So demonstrative when successful by 5 1/2 lengths over 10 1/2 furlongs on the opening card of ParisLongchamp's 2023 season, Feed The Flame beat the subsequent G3 Prix Hocquart winner First Minister (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and fellow TDN Rising Star Silver Crack (Fr) (Cracksman {GB}) next time over another 55 yards in this venue's Prix de Ferrieres conditions race prior to his first genuine test in the Jockey Club. This was probably an upgrade on that effort after a subsequent freshener, but it is hard to get away from how strong that race looks this year, with Ace Impact recording stunning sectionals to deny the top-class Big Rock (Fr) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) and the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains hero Marhaba Ya Sanafi (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}).

Jean-Louis Bouchard said, “Christophe Soumillon said after his second outing that he was probably more of a 2400-metre colt rather than a Prix du Jockey Club colt and so an Arc type. We've been working together with Pascal Bary for a long time. With my trainers, it's very much a team effort and I'm also thinking of Stephane Wattel because it's thanks to him that if I own Feed the Flame as he trained the colt's brother Sacred Life for me who should have won his race.”

Soul Sister appeared to have no excuses in third and Kieran Shoemark said, “We didn't go particularly quick, which suited us because she's got a strong turn of foot and I tried to utilise that into the straight. She picked up well for me, but I struggled to peg back Ryan [Moore] and I think we've been beaten by a very good colt.”

Thady Gosden echoed that sentiment. “The winner looks an exceptional colt. He quickened by the whole field from arguably the worst position in the race like a proper horse,” he said. “He looked smart coming into this and was supplemented like our filly, he's probably one of the best mile-and-a-half horses around at the moment. She's run a very good race in defeat to him. There are options back with the fillies now, we'll see how she comes out of it and probably do that.”

Pedigree Notes

Feed The Flame is the sixth of seven foals and fourth winner out of the unraced Knyazhna, a half-sister to the dual group 2-placed sire Migwar (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) who produced the aforementioned Sacred Life (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) whose career successes included the GIII Monmouth S., GIII Knickerbocker S. and G3 Prix Thomas Bryon. Also responsible for the G2 Prix Hocquart third Khagan (Ire) (Le Havre {Ire}), she is a granddaughter of the Listed Rose Bowl S. winner Crystal Crossing (Ire) (Royal Academy) who produced the G1 St Leger-winning sire and Derby runner-up Rule Of Law (Kingmambo), the GII Churchill Distaff Turf Mile runner-up Dame Marie (Smart Strike) and the listed-placed dam of the G3 Chartwell Fillies S. winner Tomyris (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). Her unraced 2-year-old colt Gulf Legend (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) was a €300,000 private purchase at the Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale.

Friday, ParisLongchamp, France
GRAND PRIX DE PARIS-G1, €600,000, ParisLongchamp, 7-14, 3yo, c/f, 12fT, 2:26.71, g/s.
1–FEED THE FLAME (GB), 129, c, 3, by Kingman (GB)
     1st Dam: Knyazhna (Ire), by Montjeu (Ire)
     2nd Dam: Katyusha, by Kingmambo
     3rd Dam: Crystal Crossing (Ire), by Royal Academy
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST G1 WIN. TDN Rising Star. (€270,000 Ylg '21 ARQAUG). O-Ecurie Jean-Louis Bouchard; B-Ecurie des Monceaux, Lordship Stud & Clear Light SAS (GB); T-Pascal Bary; J-Cristian Demuro. €342,840. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0, €113,150. *1/2 to Sacred Life (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), MGSW-US & GSW-Fr, $920,768; and Khagan (Ire) (Le Havre {Ire}), MGSP-Fr. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Adelaide River (Ire), 129, c, 3, Australia (GB)–Could It Be Love, by War Front. O-Mrs J Magnier/M Tabor/D Smith/Westerberg; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €137,160.
3–Soul Sister (Ire), 126, f, 3, Frankel (GB)–Dream Peace (Ire), by Dansili (GB). O/B-Lady Bamford (IRE); T-John & Thady Gosden. €68,580.
Margins: 1, NK, 3HF. Odds: 2.60, 4.20, 1.60.
Also Ran: First Minister (Ire), Winter Pudding (Fr), Rubis Vendome (GB), Peking Opera (Ire), Silawi (Ire). Video, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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It will be Shoemark's first ride aboard the Classic-winning filly, who has won three of her four starts. A winner at Doncaster at two, Soul Sister was unplaced in the G3 Fred Darling S. in her sophomore bow but recovered to take the G3 Musidora S. at York prior to her Epsom heroics.

Thady Gosden said, “Obviously it is the last mile-and-a-half 3-year-old race in Europe and unlike the Irish Oaks, it gives you time to come back for the [G1] Nassau at Goodwood [on Aug. 3].

“The Irish Oaks is a little too close to Goodwood if you wanted to take in both races, and we are looking forward to running her at Longchamp.

“Kieran partnered her on the Rowley Mile last week and was happy with her and she has done some routine work subsequently.”

At the latest entry stage, she will be opposed by the G1 Irish Derby second and fourth Adelaide River (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and Peking Opera (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) from the Aidan O'Brien yard, as well as Andre Fabre's First Minister (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) among others.

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“I believe Onshore is one of the most exciting broodmare offerings that we've had the privilege of selling in my lifetime at Fasig-Tipton,” Browning said. “She embodies everything you look for in the Thoroughbred industry. She has an amazing Juddmonte family. She's in foal to Wootton Bassett, who is a very influential rising star in the European stallion ranks. She has produced a Grade I winner in Onesto (Ire) (Frankel), who has demonstrated tremendous ability on the racetrack. I can't imagine any mare having a brighter future with the resume she has put together thus far.”

The Sea The Stars mare now has five foals on her produce record led by her brilliant son Onesto, the winner of this year's G1 Grand Prix de Paris. At the 'Night of the Stars' sale, Onshore will be consigned by Gainesway.

“It's a privilege to be able to offer a mare like Onshore,” said Gainesway's Alex Solis. “To be just nine years old and the dam of a French Classic winner with your second foal, that's pretty remarkable. She could be the cornerstone of any broodmare band wherever she goes.”

Onshore was one of the first remunerative Thoroughbred purchases for Adam Bowden's Diamond Creek Farm (profiled by Chris McGrath here). Diamond Creek launched as a Standardbred operation in 2005, when Bowden was just 24, and then made its foray into the Thoroughbred business several years ago. During one of Bowden's first buying trips overseas, he found Onshore at the 2016 Tattersalls December Mares Sale.

“She fit the bill for what we were looking for,” he recalled. “She had a well-bred pedigree and physically, she fit the European style of racing. She was in foal to Frankel, who was young at the time but I was a huge fan of his.”

Bowden purchased the maiden mare from Juddmonte for 320,000gns. Diamond Creek liked her resulting filly so much that the next year, Onshore returned to Frankel. That mating producing Onesto.

“I actually never got to see him as a foal because it was during the COVID year,” Bowden explained. “My advisor there, Eddie Fitzpatrick at Coolmore, told me that he was a nice horse and that I shouldn't give him away.”

When the colt failed to meet his reserve as a yearling, he shipped to Ciaran Dunne of Wavertree Stables and sold for $535,000 to Hubert Guy at the 2021 OBS April Sale before making his way back to Europe. Onesto landed with trainer Fabrice Chappet and earned the 'TDN Rising Star' nod when he broke his maiden on debut as a juvenile. This year, he took the G2 Prix Greffulhe before claiming his Group 1 score in the Grand Prix de Paris while also placing second in the G1 Irish Champion S.

“Anyone who has watched Onesto run has to be impressed by his turn of foot,” Browning noted. “He's explosive when he makes his move. He demonstrates the brilliance that is so critical to racing around the world, but especially in Europe.”

Onshore's produce record also includes an unraced juvenile filly by Australia (GB), a yearling Gleanagles (Ire) filly that sold for €460,000 to Michel Zerolo of Oceanic Bloodstock at Arqana this summer, as well as a another filly by American Pharaoh.

“To have four daughters working for her going forward is pretty awesome, but really the big appeal to her is that it's such an international family,” said Solis. “She comes from an amazing Juddmonte family anchored by Hasili (Ire) (Kahyasi), who threw five Group 1 winners herself and two other graded stakes horses including the very influential stallion Dansili (GB). Onshore is even a half to an international Group 3 winner Jet Away (GB) (Cape Cross), who went to Australia and proved himself there.”

“It's literally the who's who of the Thoroughbred breeding industry all combined into one package,” added Browning of Onshore's pedigree. “She's also in foal to Wootton Bassett, who produced a champion in his first crop. More importantly, he's a sire that Coolmore has made a significant commitment to. So you've got the Juddmonte pedigree with the Coolmore influence in the covering sire, and if that's not a good bet in the Thoroughbred industry, I can't think of a better set of circumstances.”

Bowden is looking forward to seizing the moment with Onshore while Onesto is in the limelight, but he said that the mare has forever made her mark on Diamond Creek's story.

Sara Gordon

“I think we're in the business to make money,” he explained when asked why Onshore is for sale. “The money we make from Onshore will be put right back in the market to try to do it again. She's really the first big-time horse for us to sell back to the market so there's a soft spot in my heart for her and part of me doesn't want to sell her, but the other part of me knows that it's the right financial decision and one that could provide us with more and more capital to go back to the market.”

This year has been a fruitful era for Diamond Creek with the likes of Bashford Manor S. winner and GI Hopeful S. runner-up Gulfport (Uncle Mo) and three-time Grade I-placed Family Way (Uncle Mo) both representing their breeder at the highest levels of the sport in the U.S. while Onesto carries the banner abroad.

“I don't know that we were originally planning on having Group 1 winners,” Bowden admitted. “I think we were looking for sales and racing success, and whatever grew out of that would be great. To have this kind of success this quickly was obviously not what we had planned, but we're very happy with it.”

As for Onshore, Browning said he believes the mare could wind up starting the next chapter of her story anywhere in the world.

“I think Onshore truly has international appeal,” he said. “She's a collector's pedigree. I don't know if the new buyer will reside in Europe or Japan or America, but I do know that the new buyer will have an opportunity to have a tremendously accomplished mare with a tremendous amount of potential in front of her.”

“This mare could go anywhere and be a standout,” added Solis. “It will be exciting to see who shows up.”

To take a look at more 'Spotlight on the Night of the Stars' features, click here.

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Big performance! Frankel colt Onesto lands the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris for @pasquito60 and @ChappetRacing at @paris_longchamp pic.twitter.com/n7NsLBcNYY

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) July 14, 2022

Since the move of the Prix du Jockey-Club to 10 1/2 furlongs, the draw has become vital with the last winner to have come from a double-figure stall being one of the Chantilly Classic's better ones in the talented New Bay (GB) in 2015. Onesto had fared reasonably well in the original draw in nine, but after the well-documented error he was re-posted to 14 and lost all chance at the start. Still able to get within a respectable distance of the impressive winner Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}), he emerged from the race as one of a few who could be upgraded significantly. This trip looked truly up his street, hailing from the family of Juddmonte's great blue hen Hasili (Ire) by the stamina influence Frankel, whose 25th group 1 winner he duly became. He was also able to mark the win with the added bonus of supplying Sea The Stars (Ire) with his first group 1 winner as a broodmare sire. It capped a memorable week for the breeders, who had supplied the Fasig-Tipton July Sale-topping Curlin colt.

“He can be slightly too keen and Stephane did well to rate him,” Chappet said. “In the race, he was slightly too cold but when he made his move between horses two out he was right there to produce his turn of foot. In fact it turned out to be the perfect race for him. He ran a great race in the Prix du Jockey Club, but he was out if it turning for home because of his bad draw. You can have regrets because there is only one Derby in the life of a horse, but take nothing away from the winner–I am not saying we would have won.”

Onesto's winning debut over a mile at Chantilly in September had enough x-factor to earn TDN Rising Star status, containing the colt Vagalame (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) who would come to share fifth place with him when they re-engaged in the Jockey Club. Finding only Welwal (GB) (Shalaa {Ire}) too strong on his other juvenile start in a 7 1/2-furlong conditions event on Deauville's Polytrack in October, he was again behind that rival when eighth as Vadeni was fifth in this track's G3 Prix de Fontainebleau at a mile Apr. 17. It was only when he got to the Greffulhe that he hit his stride and Chappet has the big one back over this course and distance in mind now. “He's got plenty of speed, he can win 10-furlong races and he won a mile maiden but now the future is to target the Arc and we will go with some ambition,” he added. “This was a good trial, wasn't it? He will first go for the [G2] Prix Niel.”

Of Simca Mille, trainer Stephane Wattel said, “He ran a huge race and it was a great performance, so we have to be proud and he doesn't stop improving. We will see how he comes out of it–the [G2] Grand Prix de Deauville at home could be a possibility.”

Onesto is the second of five foals and first runner out of the unraced Onshore (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), who was purchased by the aforementioned Diamond Creek Farm for 320,000gns at the 2016 Tattersalls December Mares Sale. She is a half-sister to the G3 Easter Cup winner Jet Away (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}), while their dam is another who failed to get to the track in Kalima (GB) (Kahyasi {Ire}).

Kalima's full-sibling Hasili needs no introduction as Juddmonte's legendary broodmare and there was already proof that Frankel works well in this dynasty. So far, he is responsible for the G1 Metropolitan winner Mirage Dancer (GB), a son of Hasili's GI Matriarch S.-winning Heat Haze (GB) (Green Desert), the G2 Prix de Sandringham scorer Obligate (GB) and useful stayer Weekender (GB) who boast Hasili as a second dam. Kalima's half-sister Skiable (Ire) (Niniski) is the second dam of Frankel's G1 Fillies' Mile heroine and 1000 Guineas-placed Quadrilateral (GB). The dam's 2-year-old filly is by Australia (GB), she has a yearling filly by Gleneagles (Ire) and a filly foal by American Pharoah.

Thursday, ParisLongchamp, France
GRAND PRIX DE PARIS-G1, €600,000, ParisLongchamp, 7-14, 3yo, c/f, 12fT, 2:27.76, g/s.
1–ONESTO (IRE), 129, c, 3, by Frankel (GB)
     1st Dam: Onshore (GB), by Sea The Stars (Ire)
     2nd Dam: Kalima (GB), by Kahyasi (Ire)
     3rd Dam: Kerali (GB), by High Line (GB)
1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (185,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT; $535,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). O-Gerard Augustin-Normand, Jean-Etienne Dubois, Ecurie Hunter Valley, Haras D'Etreham, Ecurie Billon, Ecurie Elag, Fabrice Chappet & Hubert Guy; B-Diamond Creek Farm LLC (IRE); T-Fabrice Chappet; J-Stephane Pasquier. €342,840. Lifetime Record: 6-3-1-0, €458,350. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Simca Mille (Ire), 129, c, 3, Tamayuz (GB)–Swertia (GB), by Pivotal (GB).
1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (€68,000 RNA Ylg '20 ARQSEP). O-Haras de la Perelle & Stephane Wattel; B-Haras de la Perelle (IRE); T-Stephane Wattel. €137,160.
3–El Bodegon (Ire), 129, c, 3, Kodiac (GB)–Al Andalyya, by Kingmambo. (70,000gns Ylg '20 TAOCT). O-Nas Syndicate & A F O'Callaghan; B-Cecil & Martin McCracken (IRE); T-James Ferguson. €68,580.
Margins: NK, 2HF, 2HF. Odds: 3.30, 5.10, 3.90.
Also Ran: Eldar Eldarov (GB), L'Astronome (GB), Piz Badile (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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French Duo Command Respect

Perhaps the biggest danger to Onesto are the other two home-trained colts, Al Asayl France's L'Astronome (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Haras De La Perelle and Stephane Wattel's Simca Mille (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}). L'Astronome has vital course form, having won the Prix de Ferrieres conditions race on Apr. 28 and G2 Prix Hocquart May 26, and is certain to appreciate this 12-furlong trip. He is another who is capable of fast closing sectionals and will be a dangerous rival if left alone on the lead. That also applies to the supplemented Simca Mille, who dominated the G3 Prix du Lys over this trip at Chantilly on June 19. Flaxman Stables' G1 Irish Derby runner-up Piz Badile (Ire) (Ulysses {Ire}) is a significant player if this is not too soon after his big effort chasing Westover at The Curragh on June 25, while KHK Racing's June 15 G2 Queen's Vase winner and 'Rising Star' Eldar Eldarov (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and the Nas Syndicate and the O'Callaghans' Prix du Jockey-Club runner-up El Bodegon (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) may find this on the sharp side.

Malleret Match

Alongside the Grand Prix de Paris, the track also stages the 14-furlong G2 Prix Maurice de Nieuil and G2 Prix de Malleret where 'TDN Rising Star' Raclette (GB) is another high-profile opportunity for a Frankel (GB) and the 12-furlong test should not be beyond Juddmonte's homebred based on her success in the Listed Prix Melisande over a mile and a quarter here on June 12. Whether she is good enough to handle The Aga Khan's June 5 G3 Prix de Royaumont winner Baiykara (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) is another matter. Another progressive filly on display on Thursday is Moyglare Stud's Trevaunance (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}), who takes aim at Leopardstown's G3 Green Room Meld S. over nine furlongs having won a decent conditions event at a mile at Limerick June 17.

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“He's in really good order and has come out of the [Prix du Jockey Club] well,” said the trainer. “We're very happy with him at home and we're looking to go back to France for the Grand Prix de Paris.

“Some of the horses that we were potentially trying to avoid have either run in the [G1] Irish Derby or are going to the [G1] King George or the [G1] Eclipse. Hopefully that leaves the option open for us to compete where we have been strongest with this horse [France] and where we probably have the best chance of getting a bit of rain, which I think is probably the most important factor of all.”

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Now that Hurricane Lane has upped the ante, it will take a special performance from stablemate Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in next Saturday's G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco S. to elbow him out of the picture for the Oct. 3 showpiece and send him to the G1 St Leger instead. Since changing distance in 2005, this has become a key stepping stone to the big one over the same course and distance but interestingly only the 2006 winner Rail Link (GB) has doubled up. Arguably none have entered this contest with the profile of Hurricane Lane and very few have exited with as much upside as the chestnut who eclipsed the wide-margin wins of Zambezi Sun (GB) (Dansili {GB}) in 2007 and Montmartre (Fr) (Montjeu {Ire}) the following year. ParisLongchamp was hit with 45mm of rain since the start of Tuesday and so he proved himself adaptable here, with his Irish Derby win coming on a lively surface.

Hurricane Lane's debut over a mile on heavy ground at Newmarket in October was the sole piece of evidence that he possessed Classic quality heading out of the winter, but he enhanced his credentials when staging a winning return in the Apr. 16 Newbury conditions event that has featured Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), Star of Seville (GB) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}) and Light Shift (Kingmambo) in recent times. Beating Maximal (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and Tasman Bay (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) in that 10-furlong contest, he increased his stock with a gutsy display in York's G2 Dante S. over that trip May 13 before failing to give his true running at Epsom and finishing well adrift of Adayar and Mojo Star (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). Showing that to be an aberration, he left the latter for dead at The Curragh and it was the form of the Kildare highlight that shone through here with Wordsworth providing back-up.

Charlie Appleby has a quandary now as he plots the course of his two star 3-year-old colts. “He's obviously been a very exciting horse to deal with and he's only been beaten once in his life and that was in the Derby when I felt inexperience caught us out,” he said. “Today's performance has franked him as one of the best 3-year-olds in Europe and he's an exciting horse. As we always do, we'll allow the dust to settle but you would have to be thinking about him as a serious contender for the Arc. We'll give him a bit of a break now, because he's run in an English Derby, an Irish Derby and then backed it up two and a half weeks later in a Grand Prix de Paris.”

“He deserves to have a break, but whether he can give himself a break is another thing,” Appleby added. “He ran in the Grand Prix because he'd come out of the Irish Derby so well. He has a great constitution. He has a great mind and he shows his wellbeing in the mornings. A huge team effort goes into the way the horses are running at the moment and I'm delighted for his Highness Sheikh Mohammed.”

Olivier Peslier said of Wordsworth, who continued to build an admirably consistent profile in the race his full-brother Kew Gardens (Ire) won in 2018, “He has ran well, despite not taking me along early. I had to shake him along to get him to follow the winner, to make sure I didn't get caught for toe. After that, he was very courageous and put in an excellent effort to finish second. He will be better suited by something a bit longer like the St Leger. He needs a little time to get going, but he is quite talented.”

James Doyle said of Alenquer, “The draw wasn't ideal. As we know, it's not easy historically from the wide draw at Longchamp over a mile and a half. I rode him to come home and he's finished off very well. We were on the back foot a little bit and I had a little look up around the 800 metres out and I thought we had a bit of a mountain to climb. If the pace had held up, it would have given me a chance but they did sort of steady at halfway and made it very difficult for me to get into it. But I'm very proud of him, he's run a solid race and he's got the trip well.”

Hurricane Lane is the second foal out of the Listed Prix Denisy winner Gale Force (GB) (Shirocco {Ger}), with the first being his full-sister Frankel's Storm (GB) who was runner-up in the Listed Junioren-Preis as a juvenile. The second dam Hannda (Ire) (Dr. Devious {Ire}) was responsible for the G1 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares S. heroine Seal of Approval (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}), who in turn produced the G3 March S. and G3 Princess Royal S.-placed Promissory (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), and also the G3 Oak Tree S. third Instance (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}).

Hannda is a half to the G3 Concorde S. winner Hamairi (Ire) (Spectrum {Ire}), the Listed Testimonial S. scorer and G3 Ridgewood Pearl S. runner-up Hanabad (Ire) (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}) and to the dam of the G3 Derrinstown Stud 1000 Guineas Trial winner Hamariyna (Ire) (Sea the Moon {Ger}) and G3 Prix Bertrand du Breuil winner Hunaina (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}). The third dam Handaza (Ire) (Be My Guest) is a half-sister to the G3 Blue Wind S. scorer Hazarista (Ire) (Barathea {Ire}) and the G3 Athasi S. winner Hazariya (Ire) (Xaar {GB}), who is in turn the dam of the G1 Epsom and Irish Derby hero Harzand (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). Gale Force's unraced 2-year-old colt by Harzand's sire is named Sweet William (Ire), while she also has a yearling filly by Australia (GB).

Wednesday, ParisLongchamp, France
GRAND PRIX DE PARIS-G1, €600,000, ParisLongchamp, 7-14, 3yo, c/f, 12fT, 2:33.59, vs.
1–HURRICANE LANE (IRE), 128, c, 3, by Frankel (GB)
     1st Dam: Gale Force (GB) (SW-Fr & SP-Eng), by Shirocco (Ger)
     2nd Dam: Hannda (Ire), by Dr Devious (Ire)
     3rd Dam: Handaza (Ire), by Be My Guest
(200,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Godolphin; B-Normandie Stud Ltd (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick. €342,840. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Ire, GSW & G1SP-Eng, 6-5-0-1, €1,183,050. *Full to Frankel's Storm (GB), SP-Fr. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Wordsworth (Ire), 128, c, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Chelsea Rose (Ire), by Desert King (Ire). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €137,160.
3–Alenquer (Fr), 128, c, 3, Adlerflug (Ger)–Wild Blossom (Ger), by Areion (Ger). (€18,000 Wlg '18 ARQDE; 80,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-M M Stables; B-Gestut Romerhof (FR); T-William Haggas. €68,580.
Margins: 6, 1 1/4, HD. Odds: 1.70, 17.00, 2.90.
Also Ran: The Mediterranean (Ire), Baby Rider (Fr), Bubble Gift (Fr), Northern Ruler (Ger), Cheshire Academy (Fr), Saiydabad, Cash Equity (Fr), Sir Lamorak (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.

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“Hurricane Lane heads to Paris in good order,” his trainer said on Monday. “We expected him to need some time after what looked a hard race in the Irish Derby, but he surprised us with how well he came out of it. He worked nicely over the weekend and we opted to take this route as there is plenty of time between now and the St Leger. This looks a good opportunity to hopefully win another Group 1 over a mile and a half and he looks the one to beat.”

Favourably drawn in one is The Aga Khan's G1 Prix du Jockey Club fourth Saiydabad (Blame), who was an eye-catcher from stall 11 in that 10 1/2-furlong Chantilly Classic June 6. Also representing Jean-Claude Rouget is White Birch Farm's Cheshire Academy (Fr) (Flintshire {GB}), who fared even worse with the post position there and also made up late ground to be fifth. Drawn four this time, the son of the 2013 Grand Prix de Paris hero returns to the scene of his success in the 10 1/2-furlong G3 Prix Noailles Apr. 11.

“Saiydabad had a good run in the Jockey Club, even if he does always take a little while to get going,” Rouget said. “It all opened up for him on the rail and he finished out the race very strongly.

“With Cheshire Academy, the draw went against him. We should not forget that he had a little niggle for a couple of days in the weeks leading up to the race and missed a gallop. With all those factors included, his fifth-place finish was very good. I think that both horses are indifferent in terms of ground conditions, they will both be suited by the step up in trip.

“Who is the best out of the two? We will find out on Wednesday! All I can say is that they both have had a good preparation leading into the race and I think they have very good chances.”

There was no positive news for William Haggas, with M M Stables' Apr. 23 G3 Sandown Classic Trial and June 18 G2 King Edward VII S. winner Alenquer (Fr) (Adlerflug {Ger}) drawn widest of all in 11.

Stormy conditions continue, but the manager of France Galop's racecourses and training centres Matthieu Vincent is hoping the track will be spot-on for the evening's fixture.

“In an ideal situation, we would be hoping for a reading of 3.2 or 3.3,” he said. “At midday on Friday, the track at ParisLongchamp was gauged to be at 3.4, having been watered and worked following racing on Thursday.”

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