By Sean Cronin
Isaac Souede and Simon Munir's Green Sense (Starman) faded out of contention when 13th of 17 in Royal Ascot's G3 Albany Stakes last month, but bounced back in style to defeat her male peers and secure a breakthrough success in Sunday's G2 Goffs Prix Robert Papin at Chantilly.
“She's a really good filly, she is very easy to ride and she won well,” said winning rider Maxime Guyon. “My instructions were to follow and then use her turn of foot. We were unsure how she would handle the track as the going is soft today, but she handled it without any problems. It's not easy going against the colts, even with the weight allowance, but she did it well and is good enough to win a Group 1.”
Stalking the leaders in fourth until coming under pressure with a quarter-mile remaining in the straight six-furlong test, the 31-10 third choice gained a narrow advantage passing the furlong marker and was ridden out in the closing stages to hold the late threat of Super Soldier (Dark Angel) by a neck for a first black-type triumph. Completing an overseas trifecta, the pacesetting Archie Watson trainee Tadej (Ardad) rallied once headed to finish another neck adrift in third.
Green Sense had opened up with a three-length tally at the Curragh in April and preceded her Royal Ascot run with a runner-up finish in May's G3 Naas Fillies Sprint. She is familiar with both of Tally-Ho resident Starman's two prior pattern-race winners, having finished behind Lady Iman at Naas and G2 Duchess Of Cambridge victrix Venetian Sun in the Albany.
The winner retains a G1 Prix Morny nomination, but is unlikely to encounter the runner-up at Deauville next month, according to Super Soldier's trainer Karl Burke. “He's a lovely, honest horse and was a bit unlucky,” he said. “He had to be taken back to find a gap and then got blocked again. I'm not sure about the Morny as I have other horses lined up for that. The going is key with him and he wouldn't want it too quick. The [G2] Gimcrack would be perfect if it comes up decent ground.”
Green Sense lands the Group Two Prix Robert Papin at Chantilly! 🏆🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/1qyeg7Ejcj
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) July 20, 2025
Pedigree Notes
Green Sense, who becomes the third pattern-race winner for her freshman sire, is the latest of eight foals and one of five scorers produced by a half-sister to multiple stakes-winning GII Commonwealth Stakes runner-up Cool Bullet (Red Bullet) and GIII Coolmore Lexington Stakes third Casper's Touch (Touch Gold). The May-foaled bay, whose second dam is Listed Ruthless Stakes winner Lizzy Cool (Saint Ballado), is a half-sister to G3 Grosser Preis von Lotto Hamburg victrix K Club (Kodiac) and the multiple stakes-placed Back To Brussels (Starspangledbanner). Green Sense hails from the family of GI Mother Goose Stakes and GI Acorn Stakes heroine Windy's Daughter (Windy Sea).
Sunday, Chantilly, France
GOFFS PRIX ROBERT PAPIN-G2, €119,000, Chantilly, 7-20, 2yo, 6fT, 1:11.56, sf.
1–GREEN SENSE (IRE), 125, f, 2, by Starman (GB)
1st Dam: Big Boned, by Street Sense
2nd Dam: Lizzy Cool, by Saint Ballado
3rd Dam: Well Supported, by Key To The Mint
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. (€90,000 Ylg '24 GOFORY). O-Simon Munir & Isaac Souede; B-Nicholas Hartery; T-Joseph O'Brien; J-Maxime Guyon. €67,830. Lifetime Record: GSP-Ire, 4-2-1-0, €92,930. *1/2 to K Club (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), GSW-Ger; and Back To Brussels (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), MSP-Ire. Werk Nick Rating: First SW from this cross. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Super Soldier (Ire), 128, c, 2, Dark Angel (Ire)–First Party (GB), by Royal Applause (GB). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (60,000gns Wlg '23 TADEWE; 78,000gns Ylg '24 TATOCT; £390,000 2yo '25 GOFLON). The JC Organization & Partner; B-Drumlin Bloodstock; T-Karl Burke. €26,180.
3–Tadej (GB), 128, c, 2, Ardad (Ire)–Tilly Frankl (GB), by Frankel (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (38,000gns Wlg '23 TADEWE; £65,000 Ylg '24 GOFFUK). Jinky Farms & Partner; B-Star Cottage Stud & Niall O'Keeffe; T-Archie Watson. €12,495.
Margins: NK, NK, 3. Odds: 3.10, 6.80, 2.10.
Also Ran: Imperial Me Cen (Ire), Moojeed (Fr).
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