QATAR PRIX VERMEILLE

(GROUP 1)

LEFT Hand paid a great compliment to the unbeaten La Cressonniere when she landed the Qatar Prix Vermeille. Unlike her old rival, she has now proved a mile and a half is well within her grasp. Back in June, the Prix de Diane Longines was captured by La Cressonniere with Left Hand just half a length away in second place.

The daughter of Dubawi started at 50-1 that day, mainly because she had not lived up to expectations earlier in the season, but there was a sound explanation. Like many of the horses trained by Carlos Laffon-Parias, and many others at Chantilly, she had been under the weather at the beginning of the season before truly blossoming at the start of the summer.

At two, Left Hand had been fourth to Ballydoyle in the Total Prix Marcel Boussac but she did not land her first group race until August when she held on to win the Prix de Psyche at Deauville.

Waited with by Maxime Guyon, while the English filly Endless Time bowled along in front, Left Hand arrived late on the scene to score by half a length from the long-time leader (finally ridden by Mickael Barzalona) with the outsider of the sextet, The Juliet Rose, back in third and in front of both Highlands Queen and the 6/4 favourite Candarliya, who were both disappointing.

ARC GUIDE

Over the past nine years, the Vermeille has been a fair guide to the Arc as Zarkava landed the double in 2008 and Treve five years later. The Wertheimer brothers had previously won the race with Galikova in 2011.

Their racing manager Pierre-Yves Bureau said: “We knew before the race Left Hand had a good chance but were impressed in the paddock with the condition of Endless Time and she was finally the one we’d have to beat. We never really had an anxious moment before the race and she loves coming from behind. Before making a decision on her future we will enjoy this victory.”

Laffon-Parias, who was winning his first Vermeille, added: “In France you dream about winning the Arc and train horses with that in mind. For me, she is better over 1m4f so we’re thinking more about the Arc. If she needs a little more time then Ascot will come into the reckoning. She came too early when winning the Psyche and has a problem passing her lead horse in the mornings and that is the reason she now wears cheek pieces. Left Hand likes to be waited with.”

William Buick missed the ride on Endless Time due to a transport problem but Charlie Appleby did make it to Chantilly where he commented: “She appreciated the underfoot conditions and the little cut in the ground. All her poor performances have been on fast going. It’s pretty certain now that she will head for the Fillies and Mares at Ascot as she stays well.”

elite

Nicolas Clement could not have been happier with The Juliet Rose. “The filly confirmed that she is up with elites over this distance. She had a super race and will now run in the Prix de Royallieu if she recovers well after today.”

Yohann Gourraud realised that Highlands Queen was meeting a better class of runners in the Vermeille and that his filly was not suited by a lack of early pace. She could go to Ascot and then on to the States. Alain de Royer-Dupre said of Candarliya: “She’s had a good and long career with a pair of Group 2 wins. The filly could run next in the Prix Royal-Oak before being retired to stud.”