Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (1.50pm) result
1st Victor Ludorum 2-1fav
2nd Alson 11-1
3rd Armory 9-4
Updated
Albigna possible for Breeders’ Cup
Albigna bounced back to winning ways with an ultimately clear-cut success in the Prix Marcel Boussac at ParisLongchamp. Jessica Harrington’s charge had looked every inch a top-class filly in the making after winning a maiden and the Group Two Airlie Stud Stakes at the Curragh earlier the season.
The Niarchos family-owned juvenile disappointed when strongly fancied for the Moyglare Stud Stakes three weeks ago, but was later found to be in season.
This one-mile contest presented the daughter of Zoffany with a second chance to grab Group One glory – and while she was under pressure in the hands of Shane Foley before the home turn, she responded admirably to her rider’s urgings.
Harrington said: “I wasn’t really confident beforehand as she has only run on good and good to firm ground, so we were going into the unknown. I was really not that confident going into today, but she showed the real Albigna that we see at home.
“I’ve only seen it the once and I thought she wasn’t travelling that great, but Shane said afterwards that she likes to find her feet, which she did in her first two races. In the Moyglare she ran a bit free and was found to be in season afterwards.”
RaceBets, Betfair and Coral all cut Harrington’s charge to 14-1 from 25-1 for next year’s 1,000 Guineas. Harrington said: “It is wonderful to win this race and I’m grateful to the Niarchos family for sending me these beautifully-bred yearlings – after the year we had last year with Alpha Centauri I didn’t think I’d possibly have a year like this with the two-year-old fillies.
“I would imagine so [she will go to the Guineas], she gets the mile well and she is a big filly and I’d imagine she would stay further than a mile. This is a ‘win and you’re in’ for the Breeders’ Cup and I know that it is very close to the heart of Maria [Niarchos], the Breeders’ Cup, so we will talk about that after the dust has settled here.
“I would say she is probably top of the pecking order (of the stable’s fillies) as she stayed the mile so she looks more like a Classic filly.” PA
Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (1.50pm)
They’re off … Alson and Frankie Dettori lead with Armory close behind … Ecrivain is in third … Alson running free in the lead … Armory still close behind … they kick for home with Victor Ludorum coming through fast to hold on an keep his unbeaten record with Alson and Helter Skelter following him home.
Updated
Enable is at the track …
On Arc trials day at Longchamp three weeks ago, there was scarcely a cloud in the sky and the mid-afternoon temperature peaked at around 27 degrees. It was seriously, almost unpleasantly, hot. A different experience awaits horses and racegoers in the Bois de Boulogne this afternoon, as the intermittent but heavy showers which hit Paris on Saturday are expected to continue up to and after the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at 3.05pm British Standard Time. The sun, as it happens, is out at the moment but as far as the ground goes, the damage has been done.
The good news for fans of Enable, who will be attempting to record a historic third success in the Arc, is that she has three Group One wins on soft ground to her name, in the Arc (at Chantilly) in 2017, the King George at Ascot the same year and the Breeders’ Cup Turf last November.
When it comes to her main market rivals, the situation is less clear-cut. Japan won his maiden on soft ground in September last year but has done all his racing since on good ground or better. Ghaiyyath has yet to race on anything slower than good, while a Listed win on good-to-soft is all that Sottsass brings to the party. And when it comes to the three Japanese runners – Kiseki, Blast Onepiece and Fierement – they have scarcely a couple of runs on anything other than firm ground to rub together.
So even the weather, it seems, is on Enable’s side, but win or lose for John Gosden’s mare, French racing also is bending over backwards to ensure that travelling fans go home with much happier memories of Longchamp this year than last, when the magnificent new grandstand failed to cope with the experience of meeting its first serious crowd.
A quick stroll around the enclosures just now suggests that, for now at least, the supply of drinks, food and toilet facilities is more than keeping up with demand. If so, all we need now is for the heaviest showers to head elsewhere and Enable to win the Arc for this to be one of the great racing days. The odds on the latter are around 8-11. As for the rain, check in here for updates as the afternoon unfolds.
