Christophe Soumillon

Aidan O'Brien left Chantilly on Sunday having created a legacy performance of training as he did here in the Arc several years ago after Constitution River led home Hawk Mountain and Montreal for a Team Ballydoyle G1 Qatar Prix du Jockey Club one-two-three. MV Magnier was on hand to pay tribute to the combined expertise of the master of Ballydoyle and Ryan Moore. "In fairness to Aidan, he was pretty confident coming here even though he was worried about the draw for Constitution River," he said. "Ryan gave him a...

Resolute Bloodstock's Goliath (Adlerflug) was unsuccessful in three starts since annexing last September's G1 Grosser Preis von Baden and rediscovered the winning habit in a hot renewal of Sunday's G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly. "He has been a very special horse for the whole stable and I'm very happy to have him in such good condition, both mentally and physically, at his age," said Francis Graffard. "Christophe [Soumillon] confirmed that and said his action was incredible today and like it was in Ascot when he won the King George. When...

Further advertising the prowess of his sire Hello Youmzain at Chantilly on Tuesday, Dostoievsky swooped to conquer in the six-furlong G3 Prix Texanita. Successful in the seven-furlong Listed Prix Saraca here in October, Alain Jathiere's homebred who is part-owned by his breeder, Gousserie Racing and Gerard Augustin-Normand had flopped when last of 10 in Deauville's G3 Prix Djebel in April but was a different proposition here. Drafting in behind the pace set by Samangan (Blue Point) with Christophe Soumillon keen to get cover, the Mauricio Delcher Sanchez-trained 9-1 shot was launched to pass...

If Hawk Mountain wins the Prix du Jockey Club, Aidan O'Brien may look back on his decision to send the son of Wootton Bassett to Chantilly for his prep as the key event. Errant and lairy at times in front during Monday's nine-furlong G3 Prix de Guiche, last year's Futurity Trophy and Beresford winner kept giving his rivals hope but ultimately was never going to be beaten and hit the line strong with 1 1/4 lengths to spare over Lord Clover (Siyouni). Campacite (Zarak) was a head further back in...

In the space of two and a half minutes at a rain-soaked ParisLongchamp, Wathnan's Best Secret (Persian King) became the operation's worst kept secret as he produced an impressive display to take the G3 Prix d'Hedouville. Sporting the second colours in the mile-and-a-half test with the ultimately disappointing Map Of Stars (Sea The Stars) also in attendance, the Stephane Wattel-trained four-year-old who registered a win in a valuable handicap at the Qatar Goodwood Festival in July and beat the well-regarded Gethin in Saint-Cloud's Listed Prix Turenne in September was held...

Juddmonte homebred Sunly (Night Of Thunder) had been on an extended sabbatical after surrendering her perfect record in last July's G2 Prix de Malleret and bounced back on seasonal return to regain the winning thread in Friday's G3 Prix Allez France at Saint-Cloud. The Francis Graffard trainee went postward as the 12-5 joint-favourite and settled into a smooth rhythm, racing off the pace in sixth for Christophe Soumillon, after the initial exchanges of this 10-furlong test. Making eyecatching headway out wide once into the straight, she quickened into contention with...

Francis Graffard trainee Demah (Mehmas), Al Shaqab Racing's homebred half-sister to last term's G1 Prix du Moulin hero Sahlan (Wootton Bassett), made a winning debut in Wednesday's Prix de Brunehaut at Chantilly. Recovering from a slow start to race in midfield for most of the one-mile debutantes' heat, the 6-4 favourite launched her challenge inside the final quarter-mile and kept on well in the closing stages to comfortably outpoint Nina's Victoria (Victor Ludorum) by two lengths. Demah is the second foal and scorer out of Listed Berenberg Cup victrix Wasmya...

Yann Barberot trainee Lapotheose (Wootton Bassett) enjoyed market confidence heading postward for Sunday's Listed Prix Caravelle and followed up earlier victories at Angers and Toulouse with a narrow verdict back at the latter venue. Positioned several lengths off the clear leader in third until easing closer on the home turn, the 19-10 favourite and G2 Prix Saint-Alary entry was shaken up to launch her bid with 300 metres remaining and came under a late drive to deny the persistent Hatanka Fal (Hathal) by a head for a black-type breakthrough. Lapotheose...

With luminaries such as Bering, Helissio and Calandagan on the roll of honour, the Mauricio Delcher Sanchez-conditioned stakes debutant Pearled Majesty (Persian King) joined exalted company with a pillar-to-post triumph in Sunday's 10 1/2-furlong G3 Prix Noailles at ParisLongchamp. Quickly away from the outside stall for an early advantage, the 31-5 chance was committed by Christophe Soumillon once into the straight and maintained a relentless tempo under continued rousting to easily hold the closing pack--headed by Space Waltz (American Pharoah)--by 1 1/4 lengths. Pearled Majesty took three goes to shed...

Tuesday's Prix de la Serpentine at Chantilly featured some choice pedigrees among the debutantes and it was the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and Prix de Diane entry The Last Dance (Iffraaj) who stole the show in scintillating fashion to become a TDN Rising Star, Presented by Hagyard. "We have the right to dream with a filly like her, we can think about the great races in the spring," co-owner and co-breeder Antoine Gilibert told Paris Turf. "Even her jockey was impressed with the style of her win and the more...

Francis Graffard unveiled another exciting prospect on Wednesday when Lord Clover (Siyouni) made light work of the mile maiden on Chantilly's Polytrack. Sent off the 3-5 favourite, the son of the Group 1-placed Lady Frankel (Frankel) did everything right following a tardy break to cruise by outclassed rivals a furlong out under Christophe Soumillon and on to a 6 1/2-length success from Magnus (Footstepsinthesand). The result was a landmark for Soumillon, with the Belgian recording a 4000th victory on the flat in France. The winner, who is engaged in the...

DEL MAR, USA -- As Balantina was led back to the winner's circle after her victory in the Juvenile Fillies Turf, one man was smiling more broadly than any other, and it wasn't her trainer or any of her owners. For Aidan O'Brien, watching his son Donnacha win his first Breeders' Cup race would probably have been enough to make his day - and it was a day that had started with the disappointment of having to scratch his own red-hot favourite for that same race, Precise.  But O'Brien Sr...