Sumbe Prix Morny (Group 1)

IT was billed as the two-year-old race of the year and it didn’t disappoint, Charlie Appleby even repeating precisely that assessment having unsaddled the third home, Wise Approach.

Last Sunday’s Group 1 Sumbe Prix Morny was a race to savour and, unlike many showpiece events over recent weeks, was one whose result made perfect sense.

As expected, Wesley Ward’s American speedball Outfielder made the running, although the son of Speightstown’s boisterousness in the stalls meant he missed the break slightly and it took him 100 yards to get his head in front.

Gstaad, the Aidan O’Brien-trained favourite, was not far behind, tracked by Venetian Sun, with William Buick happy to drop Wise Approach out in sixth and last place.

Gstaad was one of the first off the bridle with two furlongs to run, and Wise Approach looked the most likely winner when making a big move down the outside to overtake Outfielder approaching the final furlong.

The physically imposing Venetian Sun took a moment or two to engage top gear, but when she did the new leader had no response and she had enough in hand that the late thrust from the market leader still left him a short neck adrift crossing the line.

Gstaad in turn was half a length ahead of Wise Approach with a two-length gap to Outfielder, who kept going well enough to secure fourth.

The Morny is fast becoming a breeding statistician’s delight as numerous trends are repeating themselves.

Tally-Ho heroes

Trainer Karl Burke may have won it only twice (previously with Unfortunately in 2017), but both victories have come courtesy of horses bred at Tally-Ho Stud and the O’Callaghan family’s Co Westmeath nursery has also been responsible for the 2020 and 2021 winners, Campanelle and Perfect Power.

What is more, Gstaad is a half-brother to its 2023 hero, Vandeek, and Wise Approach shares the same connection with Perfect Power.

One new addition to the record books was the winning rider, the 29-year-old London-born Clifford Lee, who was notching his initial Group 1 triumph. He had previously gone close on a number of occasions, most notably aboard the sprinting filly, Swingalong.

Irish racegoers will probably have the good fortune of only having to wait a couple of weeks before they get to see both of the first two make the step up to seven furlongs at the Curragh on September 14th.

Sadly, only the clock will tell who is better at that distance as Venetian Sun is set to take on her own sex in the Moyglare Stud Stakes, while Gstaad is pencilled in for the National Stakes.

The colt’s flying finish in the Morny gave the distinct impression that the extra furlong would be ideal, but Venetian Sun has yet to be beaten and may have won with a little up her sleeve.

As a daughter of Tally-Ho’s first season sire sensation, Starman, who was a six-furlong specialist on the track, there must be some stamina doubts but, while her dam, Johara, never prevailed over further than six and a half furlongs, she did finish second in a mile and a quarter listed race and is related to plenty of stayers.

With ease

Burke said: “She’s an incredible filly, she does everything with such ease. I’ve trained some good fillies, like Quiet Reflection, Laurens and Fallen Angel, but at this stage she would be way ahead of them and I’ve never had one with a temperament like hers.

“My staff tell me that she has been incredibly relaxed throughout this trip. I was a bit worried beforehand as she was half asleep when we saddled her and even after the race she wasn’t turning a hair, it was like she was still out in the field. She will have one more run this season in the Moyglare and I’d be amazed if she doesn’t stay the seven furlongs there, I’ve always thought that she would improve for it.

“I was also very worried about the ground here once I walked it, it’s the fastest I’ve ever seen at Deauville. I’ve been coming here for years and it shook my confidence.

“I think she’ll be better on softer ground and she’ll continue to improve, I’m convinced of that.”

No excuse

O’Brien had no excuses, saying: “We’re delighted with Gstaad’s run, especially since he’s been off for such a long time since Ascot”, while Appleby cited the Middle Park Stakes or the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint as likely targets for Wise Approach, whom he feels needs proper fast ground to be seen at his best.

Prix Jean Romanet (Group 1)

THE ante-post market for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe continues to look like a wickedly difficult conundrum - my current choice is Croix Du Nord, who is set to make his European debut at Longchamp on September 14th, though that tells you plenty about my expensive habit of being beguiled by Japanese raiders.

The Le Havre mare Quisisana threw her hat into the Arc ring when taking the step up to Group 1 company in her stride with a stunningly simple length and three-quarters victory in Sunday’s Sumbe Prix Jean Romanet.

Up until now, the themes of Quisisana’s career have been fragility and unfulfilled promise.

Unraced at two, neither of her two racing seasons stretched beyond June, trainer Francis Graffard being forced to pull the plug 12 months ago, just as she was peaking for this same mile and a quarter contest.

Perfect lead

After two comeback wins in lesser company, she got the perfect lead into the race here from Cankoura before quickening up nicely to pull clear of Survie.

O’Brien’s representative, Bedtime Story, had to settle for fifth having been boxed in against the rail for the majority of the home straight.

This is a ‘Win And You’re In’ race for the Arc and Graffard said afterwards: “Quisisana has had a lot of bad luck but neither soft ground nor the longer distance of the Arc ought to be a problem for her, she just needs to stay healthy.

“Over the years, I have had to make a lot of difficult phone calls to Monsieur Winter [Jurgen Winter, her owner-breeder, of Haras de la Perelle]. I persuaded him to keep her in training and it will be up to him if he wants her to go for the Arc or take up her entry in the Prix de l’Opera.”

Earlier in the afternoon, a second crack two-year-old filly, My Highness, proved a length and a quarter too strong for Hugo Palmer’s Princess Margaret Stakes victrix Fitzella, the pair pulling three lengths away from another British challenger, Nandita, in the Group 2 Sumbe Prix du Calvados over seven furlongs.

The result continued a purple patch for trainer Andre Fabre, who has enjoyed a superb August yet still finds himself almost €2 million behind Graffard in the race for the French Trainers’ Championship.

A Godolphin home-bred daughter of the Kildangan Stud sire Ghaiyyath, My Highness has now won three of her four starts and has the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac in her sights.