Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac (Group 1)

AIDAN O’Brien experienced a weekend of near-misses, saddling the runner-up in three of the eight Group 1 events, leaving the way clear for Jessica Harrington to grab the Irish headlines by landing another showpiece two-year-old fillies contest just eight days after Millisle’s famous Cheveley Park Stakes victory in England.

This time the win came in the Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac courtesy of Albigna, who carried the same Niarchos Family silks as another female from the Harrington yard, Alpha Centauri, had done when wowing the Deauville crowds with a brilliant Prix Jacques le Marois victory 14 months earlier.

The strength of Harrington’s first-season fillies crop began to become apparent some weeks ago, but it was still a brave call to send this homebred Zoffany filly on the long journey from Co Kildare on the back of a disappointing effort in the Moyglare Stud Stakes, albeit one that had been explained when Albigna was found to be in season afterwards.

Unlike in the Moyglare, where she had been a bit keen, this time Albigna had to be given mild encouragement by jockey Shane Foley to keep in touch with the solid gallop being set by Marieta. And in the end it was stamina rather than her speed that won her the day, as she collared Marieta passing the furlong marker and forged clear to register a two-and-a-half-length success.

“I wasn’t expecting that!” a delighted Harrington said afterwards. “She didn’t seem to be travelling that well and I was worried that she was struggling on the testing ground but Shane said that’s just her, she likes to take time to find her feet.

“Today we’ve seen the real Albigna, the one we see at home, she might even be top of the pecking order among our other nice fillies as she certainly stays a mile and looks like a classic prospect. I know that Maria [Niachos] hold the Breeders’ Cup very close to her heart so she could go there but we will let the dust settle first.”

Foley added: “The ground was quite heavy and she’s never run on anything like that before. But she worked on something similar last week and didn’t have a problem, which made us a bit less worried about her coming over here today. She’s a filly with a really good turn of foot.”

Marieta kept on for second, while third went the way of Flighty Lady to register a first Group 1 placing for the young Irish-born Chantilly trainer, Gavin Hernon, son of Joe Hernon, owner of Castletown Stud in Co Cork.

“It’s an amazing result for us and follows on from her very unlucky third in the [Group 3] Prix d’Aumale,” Hernon junior said. “Flighty Lady’s bred to be a three-year-old so now we can dream of taking part in all the top races with her next year.”