Tag Archive for: Prix Marcel Boussac

Vertical Blue stuns stablemate Zarigana in Marcel Boussac

Francis-Henri Graffard trained the first two home as Vertical Blue caused an 100-1 upset in flooring hot favourite Zarigana in the Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac at ParisLongchamp.

All the talk pre-race surrounded the Aga Khan-owned market leader – who is a granddaughter of the great Zarkava – and after travelling in mid-division it looked as though she would only have to peg back Aidan O’Brien’s enterprisingly-ridden Exactly to prevail.

Her stablemate Vertical Blue went with her, however, and the judge had to be called to announce the outsider as the winner with Zarigana narrowly behind and Exactly in third.

Graffard said: “It’s unbelievable, they are both amazing fillies. My other filly is really a champion, she quickened strongly but the other one has experience and I knew on a big, galloping track she would be competitive.

“It’s not much (between them), but I am happy.

“I knew going into this race that I had two very good fillies and that both were in good form.

“In the race I could see how it was developing was very different, I had Vertical Blue who was progressing on the inside and I knew because of the open stretch she would be in a good position to challenge.”

Francis Teboul, owner of Vertical Blue under the Gemini Stud and Argella Racing banner, added: “I think our emotions were more on display than I could describe.

“We hesitated over running her in the Arqana series or in the Prix Marcel Boussac.

“We knew she was a quality filly and that she could run to a place because Francis-Henri told us that she was in great form, he’s a fantastic trainer who doesn’t get things wrong very often.

“We just thought we had nothing to lose but we never thought we would beat the champion in the race!”

Nemone Routh, racing manager for the Aga Khan Studs, was taking the positives from Zarigana’s narrow defeat.

She said: “We’re of the opinion that Zarigana ran really well. She’s a very sensitive filly. There are still areas for improvement with her. For example when Mickaël (Barzalona) pulls her out for her, she tends to quicken straight away.

“We thought that had got up on passing the winning post. She has her future ahead of her. She has a lot of speed and will begin her 2025 campaign over 1,600 metres.

“It’s true that we’re disappointed to have got beaten but that’s racing! She’s come a long way in a short space of time.”

All eyes on budding superstar Zarigana in Boussac

Francis-Henri Graffard’s Zarigana will bid to uphold family honour in the Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac at ParisLongchamp on Sunday.

The filly, owned and bred by the Aga Khan, has an impeccable pedigree as she is by Siyouni and out of Zarkamiya, a Group winner who is herself out of the undefeated Arc heroine Zarkava.

She made her debut at Chantilly in July, strolling to a four-length victory ahead of nine rivals in a seven-furlong maiden to take the first steps in living up to the expectations that inevitably come with such breeding.

She then lined up at Longchamp last month for the Group Three Prix d’Aumale, a race run over the Boussac course and distance that became the scene of another taking victory as she came home three lengths to the good under a hands-and-heels ride from Mickael Barzalona.

The two-year-old now steps up in grade on return to Longchamp and heads the market for the Group One in a field of 11.

“She is very well, everything has gone smoothly and we’re looking forward to Sunday,” said Graffard.

“She won nicely in her two races and it’s big step up in class now, hopefully she can show she is competitive against Group One fillies.

“She won on soft ground the other day so we’re not worried about that, she’s a good looking, well-bred filly with a lot of talent. Fingers crossed for Sunday.”

Opposing Zarigana will be Aidan O’Brien’s Bedtime Story, who blew away her rivals when taking the Chesham at Royal Ascot by nine and a half lengths.

She then landed both the Silver Flash and the Debutante Stakes, albeit by lesser margins, but connections were disappointed to see her finish last of five in the Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh on her most recent outing.

Bedtime Story at Royal Ascot
Bedtime Story at Royal Ascot (David Davies/PA)

“She just jumped smart and was then a little bit keen in the Moyglare and we think that was the reason for her little bit of a disappointing run,” O’Brien said of the defeat, during which she finished behind stablemate Exactly and Ollie Sangster’s Simmering.

Both Exactly and Simmering reoppose, with January completing the Ballydoyle trio and Simmering a late addition to the field having been supplemented following the Moyglare second and a prior Prix Calvados triumph.

“I think she will be a filly to go a mile next year, but we will see,” Sangster said of the latter.

“She seemed to see out seven furlongs well in both the Moyglare and the Calvados.

“They went a good hard gallop in the Moyglare, but I don’t imagine they will go so hard in France on Sunday. We will find out, but I would suspect she will handle the mile.

“Lake Victoria who won the Moyglare was impressive in the Cheveley Park last week. Nothing else has come out of it yet, but we felt it was a very strong race going into it and I think everyone in the race was quite high on theirs and it was probably the strongest fillies’ race of the year so far at the time. I suspect the form of the Moyglare will continue to work out.”

Simmering and McMonagle keeping partnership intact

Dylan Browne McMonagle might be missing out on the chance to partner Al Riffa in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, but he has retained the ride aboard the supplemented Simmering in the Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac on Sunday.

McMonagle has been a regular aboard Joseph O’Brien’s Arc contender, steering the son of Wootton Bassett to both his Group One victories, including his most recent success in the Grosser Preis von Berlin.

But Al Riffa’s owner Masaaki Matsushima has handed Japanese stalwart Yutake Take the opportunity to be in the saddle at ParisLongchamp this weekend, leaving McMonagle without a ride in Europe’s richest middle-distance contest.

However, he will still be in action on the Bois de Boulogne having been called upon by Ollie Sangster to partner his star filly Simmering once again.

The duo successfully joined forces to claim Deauville’s Group Two Prix du Calvados in the summer, while the Irishman was also in the saddle when the Manton raider chased home subsequent Cheveley Park Stakes heroine Lake Victoria in the Moyglare Stud Stakes in Ireland.

“Dylan is going to ride her again, he has ridden her the last two starts and is riding very well. He knows her and was available and we’re very happy to use him,” said Sangster.

Simmering (left) chased home Lake Victoria at the Curragh
Simmering (left) chased home Lake Victoria at the Curragh (Niall Carson/PA)

It has cost connections €28,800 to add Simmering to the Boussac line-up where she is set to renew Moyglare rivalry with Aidan O’Brien’s Bedtime Story and also face the unbeaten French filly Zarigana.

However, Sangster explains this contest has always been on the cards for the talented daughter of Too Darn Hot, especially since changing ownership following her fine Royal Ascot performance behind Fairy Godmother.

“Since Al Shaqab purchased her it has been a race that has been provisionally earmarked, she wasn’t actually in it at the time so obviously we’ve had to supplement,” continued Sangster.

Ollie Sangster will saddle Simmering on Arc day
Ollie Sangster will saddle Simmering on Arc day (Mike Egerton/PA)

“It’s a big weekend for their team with lots of runners with it being sponsored by Qatar and the owners were keen to run.

“She came out of the Moyglare in good shape and has been training well since. It looks a competitive race but we’re looking forward to taking her over.”

Others to be supplemented for Sunday’s Group One action include John and Sean Quinn’s Breege who joins Queen Elizabeth II Stakes winner Big Rock in being added to the Prix de la Foret, while Alicja Karkosa’s Prix La Rochette runner-up Heybetli joins the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere ranks.