ParisLongchamp

Joseph O'Brien trainee State of Rest (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) enjoyed a fruitful sophomore campaign last year and the 4-year-old's globetrotting exploits yielded wins in August's GI Saratoga Derby Invitational and October's G1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley. He was sent postward as a 63-10 chance for Sunday's G1 Prix Ganay at ParisLongchamp and produced a battling display to secure a third elite-level triumph in the 10 1/2-furlong highlight. Third in the G2 Champagne S. and fifth in the G1 Futurity as a juvenile, he also hit the board in last...

Haras de Hus's Grand Glory (GB) (Olympic Glory {Ire}), who registered a personal best in last term's G1 Prix Jean Romanet, ran second in the G1 Prix de l'Opera and fifth in November's G1 Japan Cup and had since realised the second-highest price at Arqana's December fixture when selling for €2.5-million. She went postward for Sunday's G3 Prix Allez France Longines coming back off a pipe-opening score in last month's Listed Prix Zarkava and justified odds-on favouritism with a powerful display in the 10-furlong test. The 1-2 chalk tracked the...

Alain and Gerard Wertheimer's homebred 3-year-old gelding Junko (GB) (Intello {Ger}), who went untested as a juvenile, followed up an impressive score in his Feb. 24 debut at Chantilly with an equally taking triumph back at that track last month and continued on an upward trajectory by notching a career high on black-type bow in Sunday's G3 Prix Noailles at ParisLongchamp. Under restraint in a close-up second until scrubbed along off the home turn, the 17-10 favourite locked horns with the pacesetting Maximus (Fr) (Intello {Ger}) passing the quarter-mile marker...

Al Shaqab Racing's €80,000 Arqana September graduate Welwal (GB) (Shalaa {Ire}, who snagged two of three juvenile outings last term, went postward for Sunday's G3 Prix de Fontainebleau at ParisLongchamp coming back off a Mar. 22 conditions second at Chantilly and was comfortably on top at the end of the one-mile test. Steadied to race behind the leaders in sixth for the most part, the 28-5 chance made headway under pressure in the straight to challenge with 300 metres remaining and was ridden out in the dying embers to deny...

Haras de la Perelle's homebred 3-year-old filly Rosacea (Ire) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) concluded her four-race juvenile campaign with victory in October's G3 Prix des Reservoirs at Deauville and dented a collection of lofty reputations with a last-gasp effort in Sunday's G3 Prix de la Grotte over one mile at ParisLongchamp. Patiently ridden and trailing all eight rivals into the straight, the 9-1 chance was angled to the outside with 300 metres remaining and the Stephane Wattel trainee quickened smartly under mild urging in the closing stages to nail Daisy Maisy...

Etienne and Gregoire Leenders trainee Mister Saint Paul (Fr) (Dariyan {Fr}) took five attempts to shed maiden status as a juvenile, doing so in Deauville's Oct. 20 Listed Prix Isonomy, and came back this term to finish just off the podium in Saint-Cloud's Mar. 19 Listed Prix Omnium II, his most recent outing. Virtually unconsidered as the 217-10 outsider-of-six for Sunday's G3 Prix La Force at ParisLongchamp, he turned the form book upside down and exhibited a tenacious attitude to record a career high in the nine-furlong test. The eventual...

Baron Edouard de Rothschild's homebred 3-year-old filly Mqse de Sevigne (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}), who bettered a Sept. 2 debut third over one mile at ParisLongchamp with a Sept. 29 seven-furlong breakthrough win at Chantilly, returned to scene of her unveiling to secure a career high in Sunday's G3 Prix Vanteaux. Breaking well and settling third after the early skirmishes, the 39-5 chance made stealthy progress in the straight and ran on strongly once coming under pressure for her challenge approaching the eighth pole to comfortably assert superiority by 1 1/2...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Sunday's Observations features a daughter of Group 1 winner Plumania (GB) (Anabaa). 1.58 ParisLongchamp, Debutantes, €27,000, 3yo, c/g, 10 1/2fT AZUREUS (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) is the latest progeny out of George Strawbridge's star mare In Clover (GB) (Inchinor {GB}), who is currently responsible for a trio of Group...

It has been mooted more than one this spring, but without labouring a point it seems clear after the declarations for the racing at ParisLongchamp on Sunday that Messrs Fabre and Peslier are linked again, at least for the time being. France's dynamic duo combine with two major chances in the group races on the fixture, with Lady Bamford's Dreamflight (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the nine-furlong G3 Prix la Force and with Gestut Schlenderhan's returning Mare Australis (Ire) (Australia {GB}) in the G2 Prix d'Harcourt over a mile and a...

Entries for the 2022 €200,000 Haras de Bouquetot-Arqana Criterium, open to all 2-year-olds that were offered at the 2021 Arqana yearling sales, are now open. The online entry form is now available on Arqana's website, and the entries close on June 1. Conducted over 1600 metres at ParisLongchamp on Saturday, Oct. 1, the race is open to juvenile colts, fillies and geldings. Haras de Bouquetot will award a nomination to one of its stallions to the breeders of the horses that fill the first three places. The entry fee is...

Unsurprisingly, 3-year-olds have come to assume dominance of late in ParisLongchamp's G1 Prix Royal-Oak and it was a case of more of the same on Sunday as Julian Richmond-Watson's Scope (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) made the eight-pound weight-for-age pull count in the testing conditions he loves. Following a staying-on sixth in the G1 St Leger at Doncaster Sept. 11 with a powerful 7 1/2-length success in Ascot's Listed Noel Murless S. also over a mile and a quarter at the start of the month, the 15-2 shot was sent up to...

   Europe's penultimate group 1 prize takes place on Sunday and the 2021 running of ParisLongchamp's Prix Royal-Oak carries extra significance as the last of its kind to include the name Alain de Royer-Dupre. Soon set for an honourable retirement from the field he has mastered for so long, the doyen of Aiglemont has one more shot at the big time with last year's runner-up Valia (Fr) (Sea the Stars {Ire}). Seemingly prepped perfectly for her return tilt, The Aga Khan homebred has no Subjectivist (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) to deal...