Latest news with #FrenchOaks
Irish Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Gezora takes Prix de Diane as Bedtime Story's bold challenge falls just short
The Aidan O'Brien -trained Bedtime Story only narrowly failed to come from last to first under Ryan Moore as Gezora took the honours in the Prix de Diane at Chantilly on Sunday afternoon. Trained by Francis-Henri Graffard and ridden by Christophe Soumillon, Gezora raced in the pack through the 10-furlong contest before being switched out to launch her challenge with around a furlong and a half to run. She was kept under pressure all the way to the line but had enough in reserve to hold off Bedtime Story. Shes Perfect was unable to gain Classic compensation in the French Oaks after controversially losing the French 1,000 Guineas in the stewards' room. READ MORE The Charlie Fellowes-trained filly turned for home and momentarily looked she would again be involved at the business end, but while she was in front with two furlongs to run, she had raced keenly in second and was ultimately eased down by Kieran Shoemark when her chance had gone.
Irish Times
7 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Colin Keane has first classic ride in new role aboard André Fabre runner in French Oaks
Colin Keane has his first classic ride as first jockey to the powerful Juddmonte operation when teaming up with Better Together in Sunday's French Oaks. The €1 million Longines Prix De Diane will have Ireland's champion jockey come under the eagle eye of France's most successful ever trainer, André Fabre. The 79-year-old maestro, sometimes referred to as racing's Little Napoleon, has been known to be quite a taskmaster. Pat Eddery once nominated Fabre as a particularly difficult trainer to ride for. Eddery was the first retained jockey for the late Prince Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte team almost 40 years ago, and earlier this week it was confirmed Keane is filling a similarly expansive European role. It is already making for a busy schedule. READ MORE Having ridden work on some Royal Ascot contenders in Newmarket on Wednesday morning, he rode a double at Limerick that evening. On Thursday, he was in Newbury and rode in Cork on Friday evening. He has four rides in Sandown on Saturday before heading to Chantilly. Keane's sole Group One victory in France to date was on Broome in the 2021 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and he is relatively inexperienced around Chantilly. André Fabre at Sandown Park, England, in April. Photograph:Better Together was ridden by Alexis Pouchin to win a Listed and a Group Three before finishing fifth in last month's French Guineas. That contest could hold the key to the Diane outcome with the English filly, She's Perfect, controversially disqualified from first in favour of Zaragina, going in search of classic compensation. 'I just think it's the right race for her, basically we had the option between the Diane and the Coronation,' said She's Perfect's trainer, Charlie Fellowes. 'We want her to win the right race – it has nothing to do with the fact that it is in France, it was very plain and simple, I'm convinced this is the right race to run her and I just hope she will prove me right on Sunday.' A field of 12 lines up for the prestigious classic where the red-hot Aidan O'Brien runs both Bedtime Story (Ryan Moore) and Merrily, the mount of last weekend's Epsom Derby hero, Wayne Lordan. The race is off at 3.05pm Irish time and is on Sky. Moore memorably got the luck of the draw in the Prix Du Jockey Club a fortnight ago on Camille Pissarro but is now berthed widest of all on Bedtime Story. She ran sixth in the Pouliches, where Merrily was last. Ryan Moore aboard Bedtime Story wins the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot last year. Photograph:O'Brien won the French Oaks four years ago with Joan Of Arc and his current streak of classic success means Bedtime Story won't be dismissed by anyone despite her draw. The Irish man is chasing a third French classic this season on the back of Henri Matisse also winning the 2000 Guineas at Longchamp. O'Brien completed the Oaks-Derby double at Epsom last week and won the Irish 1000 Guineas with Lake Victoria. Keane will also ride Juddmonte's Latakia in the following Listed contest (4.25pm) for trainer Francis Henri Graffard. The Irish man's new post looks to have thrown open the race to be champion jockey in Ireland this year. Billy Lee has been runner-up to Keane for the last three years, including being edged out by just three winners (92-89) in 2022. He has been made an odds-on favourite (8/11) by Paddy Power to take advantage of his rival's absences. Before Friday evening's action, Billy Lee trailed his rival Colin Keane 36 to 30 and has four rides at Gowran on Sunday. Photograph:Prior to Friday evening's action, Lee trailed Keane 36 to 30 and has four rides at Gowran on Sunday. The weekend action in Ireland and Britain is marked by a relative lull before next week's Royal Ascot extravaganza, where Aidan O'Brien is favourite to once again be crowned leading trainer. He has won the award eight times in the last decade and is closing in on a remarkable century of winners at the world-famous meeting. O'Brien has 91 career successes there; his best individual haul in a week was seven winners in 2016. O'Brien has a record nine victories in the Gold Cup, including an unprecedented four-timer for Yeats. The retirement of his former dual-champion Kyprios has opened the door to a new staying star and next Thursday's field will come from 10 possibles left in at Friday's acceptance stage. They include Ballydoyle's potential next top-notcher, Illinois, a winner at Chester last time, although he is likely to face a formidable French challenger in Candelari, a Group One victor at Longchamp on his last start. National Hunt action once again dominates this weekend's domestic programme with Downpatrick racing back-to-back. Up to 12mm of rain is forecast in advance of Saturday's card.
New Paper
12-06-2025
- Sport
- New Paper
Fillies keep up Aga Khan legacy in Prix de Diane
The racing world was saddened by the death of Prince Aga Khan IV in February, but it, however, did not spell the end of a golden era. The famed green and red epaulettes silks are still very much present today, especially on big occasions, as will be the case in the €1 million (S$1.47 million) Group 1 Prix de Diane (2,100m) at Chantilly on June 15. Taken over by his daughter Zahra, the Aga Khan Studs will bid to better their record of seven wins in the 3YO filly classic popularly known as the French Oaks. Mandanaba will represent the Princess, while Cankoura will race in the Aga Khan Studs' colours, with both trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, a Prix de Diane winner with Channel in 2019. "The Diane was a race very dear to the Prince," said Nemone Routh, racing manager for the Aga Khan Studs, at a press conference. "For many years, one of the stable's key aims each season has been to field runners with genuine chances in this Classic. "This year, both family silks will be represented, which is particularly special. "The Aga Khan Studs are above all breeders. Having fillies capable of excelling in this race is central to the identity of our colours. "These fillies will then return to the stud, where we hope they will go on to produce more top-class horses." The current stock itself is testament to the legacy of the powerful outfit and quest for their next Zarkava (their latest champion and 2008 Prix de Diane winner herself), as evidenced by Zarigana's win in the Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (1,600m) on May 11, even if it was won in the ParisLongchamp stewards' room. The luckless Calandagan again came up second-best, this time against Ballydoyle's Jan Brueghel in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes (2,000m) at Epsom on June 6, while their bid for a sixth Epsom Derby with Midak ended with a midfield finish on the next day. There is this time an upbeat vibe about their two-pronged Prix de Diane assault, especially Mandanaba, not just for her formline, but also her breeding line. A cracking third to stablemate Zarigana in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, also known as the French 1000 Guineas, Mandanaba is by Darley stallion Ghaiyyath out of a mare the Princess bred herself, Mandesha. "Mandanaba also has a lovely backstory. Her dam Mandesha was a champion for Princess Zahra, but did not produce particularly well at stud," said Routh. "She has now retired and is enjoying life with Zarkava and her companions. "Mandanaba is her final foal, and the best she's ever produced. That's quite rare." Routh said the path to the Prix de Diane via the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches should work out well. "We hesitated for a long time between the Saint-Alary and the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches," referring to the Group 2 event (2,000m) on May 11 won by Gezora, Graffard's third Prix de Diane runner. "The Poule, being a Classic and a Group 1, was ultimately the preferred choice. Her performance there was very good, and the Poule was only her third outing. "We're not entirely sure she is a true miler. She has speed, but her pedigree suggests she can stay 2,000 metres. "Mandanaba is a very generous filly. She likes to race up near the pace, which is an advantage at Chantilly when the ground is good." Cankoura might have flown under the radar, but the three-time winner by Persian King is not without claims. After an unlucky defeat in the Listed Prix des Lilas (1,600m) on May 6, she bounced straight back to winning ways in the Listed Prix Finlande (1,800m) at ParisLongchamp at her last start on May 22. "In the Prix des Lilas, she was really unlucky. Mickael Barzalona didn't ask too much of her," said Routh. "In the end, she barely ran that day. We wanted to find a race that would give us a clearer picture of her potential. "The Prix Finlande fit the bill. She was ridden closer to the pace and kicked early in the straight. "We had expected a more striking performance, but she needed the run, as she hadn't done much work between the Lilas and the Finlande. "Also, the ground was a little too soft for her. She's honest, willing, and we're hoping for good ground. We believe she still has more to offer. "Both Mandanaba and Cankoura have speed and can race prominently, which is a plus at Chantilly in good conditions." While Mandanaba was ridden by Maxime Guyon at her last start, no jockey has been booked yet while Cankoura will be partnered by Clement Lecoeuvre. manyan@
The Herald Scotland
12-06-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Shes Perfect bids to repay owners' faith in French Oaks
'I'm nervous, but there's also a lot of excitement there,' said Watts. 'We had a big offer for her last week but we put it to all her 38 owners and 37 instantly said no. You get into horse racing with a dream of owning a horse like her and sometimes some things are worth more than money. This is so bittersweet to watch. They can't take away that feeling we all experienced. The best feeling in the world. I could not be prouder of our horse, the people I have brought together and the journey we are all on together. She's our guineas winner, we couldn't love her… — Basher Watts (@BasherWatts) May 11, 2025 'That 15 minutes when we thought we had won the race at Longchamp is worth more money than anyone would be willing to pay and I just couldn't ever enjoy watching her in someone else's silks. There are so many big races to come and we want to be the ones enjoying that journey with her. 'I went in to see her do her last piece of work last week and I've been in to see her again today and it all still doesn't feel real that we own the favourite for the Prix de Diane.' After losing the French 1000 Guineas in the stewards' room and then also failing with their subsequent attempt to appeal the decision, the Shes Perfect team were left to contemplate a Royal Ascot rematch in the Coronation Stakes with ParisLongchamp rival Zarigana or stepping up in distance for another tilt at a Classic and also redemption in France. However, with her handler keen to explore options up in trip and a tantalising ticket to the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe waiting to be stamped for later in the season, it was decided Shes Perfect could be aptly named for the challenge of the French Oaks, with connections buoyant after being handed stall seven at Chantilly. 'We definitely spoke in depth about where to go and there were a few different factors why we decided to go back to France,' explained Watts. Breaking: The French 1000 Guineas appeal has been dismissed and Zarigana keeps the race over Shes Perfect — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 21, 2025 'One of them is we need to know whether she stays and this will only be the fifth run of her career, so let's find out sooner or later if she does. She has an Arc entry and it's unbelievable to think she could even be running in a Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. 'This is the perfect step up for her without stretching her too far and we do think French racing suits her style of racing.' He went on: 'There is also the competitor in me who thinks how sweet would it be to go back to France and win the second Classic for fillies and this time keep it. This is our last ever shot at a Classic with her, so why not roll the dice and see. 'Last time out wasn't the ending we wanted, but even going out to France with all her owners is an amazing experience and amazing trip and we'll go back there and hope we can 'win' again.' 'We were happy with the draw in seven and I thought it would be typical if we got 12 of 12, but we'll happily take seven. Let's hope it's the French paying us back a little bit and we'll keep everything crossed.'
Daily Mirror
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Basher Watts turns down massive £2.2m offer for star horse ahead of Classic
A social media influencer who has become obsessed with horse racing has turned down a massive offer for one of his horses. Basher Watts created his own TikTok channel two years ago to document his days out on the racecourse before launching his own syndicate, made up mostly of first-time racehorse owners. Basher Watts Racing has nine horses in training, the best of which Shes Perfect gave them an unforgettable yet frustrating day out when she was controversially demoted to second in the French 1,000 Guineas after finishing first past the post at Paris-Longchamp. After an unsuccessful appeal against the stewards' decision, Shes Perfect has been lined up for a second Classic bid by trainer Charlie Fellowes in the £827,000 French Oaks (Prix de Diane) at Chantilly on Sunday in the hope she can continue one of the underdog stories of 2025. The filly was originally bought privately for £42,000 and since winning on debut at Haydock last August, has finished second in the Group 3 race and runner-up, on a demotion, in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches. But Watts revealed on Thursday that an offer had been received on behalf of connections in Japan for a life-changing sum. Watts told the Nick Luck Daily Podcast, "I have nothing to hide. It was £2.2 million. For me that's nowhere near enough money. You are basically asking someone to pay you to take your dream away from you. "You get involved in horse racing with a dream of owning a horse like her. There are a lot of things in life which mean more than money. There will come a time in her racing career when the right step is for her to go to breeding but that's definitely not now. "There's 38 owners involved in Shes Perfect and 37 of them instantly voted she's not for sale. We're all in on the dream and hopefully there is another chapter in the fairytale on Sunday." Shes Perfect is set to face 11 opponents including Mandanaba for the same Aga Khan connections awarded victory in the French Guineas. Watts added: "We go there with a lot of pressure and a lot of expectation. In both of her runs in France there was no expectation. There was every chance she wasn't going to be good enough and then we went back to the Pouliches. Never in our wildest dreams did we think we'd have a runner. "We won it. It doesn't say that in the racecard but we know it. We won the Guineas, which is incredible to say and we go back 5-2 favourite and there is a whole heap of pressure on which gives it a different feel. "The whole thing is a fairytale and it still doesn't feel real. She was the second horse I ever bought. It still hasn't sunk what she is doing and what we're doing. I have everything crossed and I pray she can win again in France."
