THE Group 2 Prix du Conseil de Paris at ParisLongchamp was won by Goliath last season and has a good reputation.
André Fabre ran three last Sunday, including the much-anticipated three-year-old Yellow Jersey, unbeaten in three starts and Junko, his stable companion and a dual Group 1 winner.
Yellow Jersey took the lead in a race that lacked pace and was unable to keep up with the two English horses that came alongside him down the straight, in Dubai Honour, who had been at his side during the race, and Karl Burke’s raider Convergent, who got on top in the final strides.
“We are delighted with his performance; he improves with each outing,” commented PJ Colville, representing the owners, Newtown Anner Stud, on French media.
“We were frustrated by the lack of pace but overall it went well and Clifford (Lee, his jockey) gave him a very good ride. We can now aim for a Group 1, which is the logical next step after his wins in a Group 3 and now a Group 2.
“But that will be for next year since he is still in training. We will try to be at the start of the Arc if he manages to maintain this level. It’s an additional dream, but after all, for now, he has fulfilled them all.” The son of Fascinating Rock carried the same colours of Newton Anner and of which he is the best offspring to date.
Convergent had only raced once and won at two. He then took second place in the Group 1 German Derby, where he was beaten by only a head, before winning the mile and a half Group 3 CMG Group Stakes at Leopardstown on Irish Champions weekend. r
After another very international season, spanning Australia, Hong Kong, and Germany, William Haggas’ Dubai Honour returned to French soil where he had won the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud in the summer of 2024.
“The pace was too slow for him today, and the distance was slightly too short,” said Philipp Robinson, racing manager for the Obaida family. “But he still delivered a great performance. He will be seen again in Japan or Hong Kong.”
At Deauville on Monday, Joseph O’Brien landed a listed win with Viking Invasion in the Prix Vulcain. The Mehmas gelding races for Mark Dobbin and Edelle Logan.
Karl Burke also had a listed success in the Criterium de Vitesse for two-year-olds, with Pearl Fortune winning by two lengths.
Shuka Sho (Grade 1)
THE second favourite Embroidery claimed this year’s Shuka Sho, the last jewel of the Triple Crown, becoming the first filly since Daiwa Scarlet in 2007 and fourth overall to complete the Oka Sho (1000 Guineas)-Shuka Sho double.
After two wins and a second in her four starts as a two-year-old last season, the Admire Mars filly won the Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) but disappointed in ninth in her previous Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) start this May. Christophe Lemaire was registering his 55th JRA-Grade 1 win.
Embroidery took a wide trip in mid-division, briefly stalking the race favourite, before picking up speed to sit behind Erika Express in second with 1,000m to go. The Oka Sho victor showed a late change of gear in the last 100m, powering past the leader in the final strides to clinch victory by half a length.
“It took a while for her engine to get started but she showed an incredible turn of foot in the last 200 meters and I’m very happy we were able to notch the Grade 1 title today,” commented Christophe Lemaire to media after the race.
Erika Express was sent up to set the pace by the first turn and held her lead down the straight but was caught by the fast-closing winner in the final strides and took second.
Race favourite Kamunyak, winner of the Yushun Himba (Oaks), entered the straight in good striking position but came up empty and faded to 16th.