Latest news with #ShesPerfect
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Royal Ascot favourite's defeat ‘brings pain back' for media star turned owner
The social media influencer, owner of controversially demoted Classic 'winner Shes Perfect', claimed performance of filly awarded the prize at Ascot proved stewards made wrong decision More pain was heaped on social media influencer Basher Watts at Royal Ascot on Friday when hot favourite Zarigana was defeated in the Coronation Stakes. Watts has used his online following to enter the world of racehorse ownership and launch his own syndicates. He has enjoyed a rapid climb with one of his first horses Shes Perfect proving good enough to tackle Classic company. She lined up in the French 1,000 Guineas as a plucky outsider but ended the race as the first past the post, defeating local favourite Zarigana by a nose. However Longchamp stewards determined that Shes Perfect was guilty of interference which impacted fast-finishing favourite Zarigana who was awarded victory with the Watts filly placed second. Watts, trainer Charlie Fellowes and jockey Kieran Shoemark returned to France to argue that the stewards made the wrong call but lost their appeal. Shes Perfect was well beaten on her next start in the French Oaks while Zarigana went off the 6-4 favourite to provide a real example of her talent in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes. Yet the Aga Khan filly came up short again, making smooth progress to get to the lead only then get outbattled by 33-1 chance Cercene, a first royal meeting winner for trainer Joseph Murphy. Fellowes could not resist a dig at the second, writing on X, 'And that is precisely why the Pouliches should never have been taken away from Shes Perfect.' Watts, who calls his filly 'Sue', posted his own reaction on the social media site. He said: 'The positive is that the French 1,000 Guineas form has been franked. Zarigana was there, put her head in front in the final furlong, she should have won. It proves that the French form is franked. 'The negative is it proves there is no way in hell that race should have ever have been taken away from her. Sue battles, Sue battles, Sue battles. Zarigana loves to put her head up and get beat. 'They have to overturn a race if there is no question whatsoever the inconvienced horse would have won. There has to be so many questions whether she would actually have gone past. 'In my opinion she was never ever ever going past. It brings the pain all back.'
France 24
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- France 24
Gezora wins Prix de Diane in Graffard masterpiece
Gezora's jockey Christophe Soumillon produced the winner down the outside as she stormed clear with a stunning burst of pace. They flashed past the post to raucous cheers from a bumper crowd basking in the sunshine with the Chantilly chateau and its equally impresssive stables providing a suitably sumptuous backdrop. Aidan O'Brien's Irish raider Bedtime Story came with a late run and was catching Gezora but the finishing post came just in time. Graffard's Cankoura was third with Mandanaba, owned by Princess Zahra Aga Khan, fourth. Little wonder that Graffard, 48, was jumping up and down in the stands as he soaked up his achievement. "I am ecstatic," he said. "The three were not entered because I am a dreamer, they all had chances. "It is difficult to make a choice of what races you put your horses in when you have different owners. "My neck suffered as I had to follow all three with my binoculars, it was not that easy!" Graffard is usually one who is an expert at managing his emotions but mention of his father being present had him choking back tears. Graffard has a law degree, but despite not coming from a racing family, his head was turned to eventually becoming a trainer. His father had other ideas. "He wanted me to be a Formula One driver!" said Graffard. "I did not think that was a good idea and I chose racing. "However, having done that my father has supported me from day one and was in the yard when the first horse arrived. "It gives me a lot of pleasure for me to give them joy and make them proud." 'Steal away from school' Whilst Graffard was winning his second Diane, for Soumillon it was his third but first since the unbeaten Zarkava in 2008. The ebullient 44-year-old Belgian had hurled his goggles into the crowd after winning the previous race but he retained these ones whilst thanking spectators for offering their congratulations. "In the finishing straight I was a bit blocked but once I got clear of that trouble I seized my opportunity," said Soumillon. "I had a bit of luck that I got this ride as on Tuesday the horse I was due to ride fractured a bone on the gallops. "Fortunately the owners (American Peter Brant's White Birch Farm) wanted me to ride." For 78-year-old Brant it was his first Diane victory after years of trying in a sport he fell in love with as a schoolboy. "I used to steal away from school and bet on racing, it has been a long journey!" he said. The other raiders from abroad failed to land a blow, though, for a brief few seconds the lively English syndicate who own the favourite Shes Perfect threatened to bring the stand down as she led. However, there was to be no rich consolation prize for them, some of whom felt they had been hard done by when she was demoted from first to second in the French 1000 Guineas last month. She got swallowed up by the Graffard trio and Bedtime Story and faded badly. Although some of the syndicate may be regretting turning down an offer from Japan of £2.2 million ($3 million) a few days before the Diane, her trainer Charlie Fellowes believes her day on the big stage will come. The crowd and the sunshine will have been some succour to French racing chiefs amidst a time when falling betting revenue is forcing a tightening of belts. The Diane has produced some superstars down the years of the calibre of the Aga Khan-owned Zarkava and Treve, both of whom went on to win Europe's most prestigious race, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Whether Gezora reaches such heights remains to be be seen but on Sunday at least she was the queen of the "Sport of Kings" for a day.
Rhyl Journal
14-06-2025
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
Falakeyah added to Coronation field for Zarigana clash
Owen Burrows' unbeaten filly dazzled when winning the Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket last month, putting herself in the picture for both the Oaks and the French equivalent which will be run at Chantilly on Sunday. However, after deciding against Epsom, a dirty scope ruled her out of France, with connections now taking the plunge to drop back to a mile with their supremely talented daughter of New Bay. This is eyecatching 👀 FALAKEYAH follows in the footsteps of future Oaks winner Taghrooda winning the @Betfred Pretty Polly Stakes in sparkling fashion ✨ — Newmarket Racecourse (@NewmarketRace) May 4, 2025 In a statement on the owners racing manager Angus Gold said: 'Jim (Crowley) has been saying all spring 'this filly has plenty of speed' and she showed that when she won at Newmarket on her first start of the year. 'Once we had decided not to stretch her stamina to a mile and a half in the Oaks, the next option was the Prix de Diane. However, she did not scope clean two weeks ago, so Owen and the team gave her time and sorted it out, but the net result was the timescale proved too tight to get her back to peak fitness for the Diane, especially with the travelling over to France. 'Owen feels she is now back to where she was before the dirty scope. He's very happy with her and together we feel the Coronation is the right race for her now. Jim believes she has the pace to be competitive at a mile at that level. She's definitely got a lot of class, and we are looking forward to Friday.' Falakeyah could ultimately prove the biggest challenge to Francis-Henri Graffard's Zarigana, the grandaughter of the great Zarkava who was awarded the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches in the stewards room at ParisLongchamp after a late tussle with Charlie Fellowes' Shes Perfect. Breaking: The French 1000 Guineas appeal has been dismissed and Zarigana keeps the race over Shes Perfect — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 21, 2025 Shes Perfect also stands her ground but is poised for the challenge of the Prix de Diane on Sunday, while the same applies to Aidan O'Brien's Bedtime Story and Merrily who also feature amongst the confirmations for Friday's Group One. Ballydoyle have also confirmed Exactly and January, while Ralph Beckett could be represented by 1000 Guineas fifth Chantilly Lace and the Amo Racing-owned Cathedral. Ollie Sangster's Flight and Simmering finished ahead of Chantilly Lace in second and third respectively behind Desert Flower at Newmarket and could leave below par efforts in the Irish version of the Guineas behind here. Meanwhile, Joseph Murphy's Cercene and Archie Watson's Duty First were two to thrive at the Curragh when third and fourth and are also amongst the Ascot possibles. Jane Chapple-Hyam's unbeaten York scorer Kon Tiki joins Falakeyah in being supplemented into the field at a cost of £46,000, while Ger Lyons' Red Letter completes the list of 15 going forward.
North Wales Chronicle
14-06-2025
- Sport
- North Wales Chronicle
Falakeyah added to Coronation field for Zarigana clash
Owen Burrows' unbeaten filly dazzled when winning the Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket last month, putting herself in the picture for both the Oaks and the French equivalent which will be run at Chantilly on Sunday. However, after deciding against Epsom, a dirty scope ruled her out of France, with connections now taking the plunge to drop back to a mile with their supremely talented daughter of New Bay. This is eyecatching 👀 FALAKEYAH follows in the footsteps of future Oaks winner Taghrooda winning the @Betfred Pretty Polly Stakes in sparkling fashion ✨ — Newmarket Racecourse (@NewmarketRace) May 4, 2025 In a statement on the owners racing manager Angus Gold said: 'Jim (Crowley) has been saying all spring 'this filly has plenty of speed' and she showed that when she won at Newmarket on her first start of the year. 'Once we had decided not to stretch her stamina to a mile and a half in the Oaks, the next option was the Prix de Diane. However, she did not scope clean two weeks ago, so Owen and the team gave her time and sorted it out, but the net result was the timescale proved too tight to get her back to peak fitness for the Diane, especially with the travelling over to France. 'Owen feels she is now back to where she was before the dirty scope. He's very happy with her and together we feel the Coronation is the right race for her now. Jim believes she has the pace to be competitive at a mile at that level. She's definitely got a lot of class, and we are looking forward to Friday.' Falakeyah could ultimately prove the biggest challenge to Francis-Henri Graffard's Zarigana, the grandaughter of the great Zarkava who was awarded the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches in the stewards room at ParisLongchamp after a late tussle with Charlie Fellowes' Shes Perfect. Breaking: The French 1000 Guineas appeal has been dismissed and Zarigana keeps the race over Shes Perfect — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 21, 2025 Shes Perfect also stands her ground but is poised for the challenge of the Prix de Diane on Sunday, while the same applies to Aidan O'Brien's Bedtime Story and Merrily who also feature amongst the confirmations for Friday's Group One. Ballydoyle have also confirmed Exactly and January, while Ralph Beckett could be represented by 1000 Guineas fifth Chantilly Lace and the Amo Racing-owned Cathedral. Ollie Sangster's Flight and Simmering finished ahead of Chantilly Lace in second and third respectively behind Desert Flower at Newmarket and could leave below par efforts in the Irish version of the Guineas behind here. Meanwhile, Joseph Murphy's Cercene and Archie Watson's Duty First were two to thrive at the Curragh when third and fourth and are also amongst the Ascot possibles. Jane Chapple-Hyam's unbeaten York scorer Kon Tiki joins Falakeyah in being supplemented into the field at a cost of £46,000, while Ger Lyons' Red Letter completes the list of 15 going forward.
Leader Live
14-06-2025
- Sport
- Leader Live
Falakeyah added to Coronation field for Zarigana clash
Owen Burrows' unbeaten filly dazzled when winning the Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket last month, putting herself in the picture for both the Oaks and the French equivalent which will be run at Chantilly on Sunday. However, after deciding against Epsom, a dirty scope ruled her out of France, with connections now taking the plunge to drop back to a mile with their supremely talented daughter of New Bay. This is eyecatching 👀 FALAKEYAH follows in the footsteps of future Oaks winner Taghrooda winning the @Betfred Pretty Polly Stakes in sparkling fashion ✨ — Newmarket Racecourse (@NewmarketRace) May 4, 2025 In a statement on the owners racing manager Angus Gold said: 'Jim (Crowley) has been saying all spring 'this filly has plenty of speed' and she showed that when she won at Newmarket on her first start of the year. 'Once we had decided not to stretch her stamina to a mile and a half in the Oaks, the next option was the Prix de Diane. However, she did not scope clean two weeks ago, so Owen and the team gave her time and sorted it out, but the net result was the timescale proved too tight to get her back to peak fitness for the Diane, especially with the travelling over to France. 'Owen feels she is now back to where she was before the dirty scope. He's very happy with her and together we feel the Coronation is the right race for her now. Jim believes she has the pace to be competitive at a mile at that level. She's definitely got a lot of class, and we are looking forward to Friday.' Falakeyah could ultimately prove the biggest challenge to Francis-Henri Graffard's Zarigana, the grandaughter of the great Zarkava who was awarded the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches in the stewards room at ParisLongchamp after a late tussle with Charlie Fellowes' Shes Perfect. Breaking: The French 1000 Guineas appeal has been dismissed and Zarigana keeps the race over Shes Perfect — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 21, 2025 Shes Perfect also stands her ground but is poised for the challenge of the Prix de Diane on Sunday, while the same applies to Aidan O'Brien's Bedtime Story and Merrily who also feature amongst the confirmations for Friday's Group One. Ballydoyle have also confirmed Exactly and January, while Ralph Beckett could be represented by 1000 Guineas fifth Chantilly Lace and the Amo Racing-owned Cathedral. Ollie Sangster's Flight and Simmering finished ahead of Chantilly Lace in second and third respectively behind Desert Flower at Newmarket and could leave below par efforts in the Irish version of the Guineas behind here. Meanwhile, Joseph Murphy's Cercene and Archie Watson's Duty First were two to thrive at the Curragh when third and fourth and are also amongst the Ascot possibles. Jane Chapple-Hyam's unbeaten York scorer Kon Tiki joins Falakeyah in being supplemented into the field at a cost of £46,000, while Ger Lyons' Red Letter completes the list of 15 going forward.
