Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (Group 1)

AT the beginning of the season there were three glaring omissions from the long list of big French races won during Aidan O’Brien’s illustrious training career.

The Co Tipperary handler then had, by his own incredibly high standards, a dreadful record in the two Chantilly classics.

After last month’s triumphs by St Mark’s Basilica and Joan Of Arc (two fittingly continentally-titled three-year-olds) that is no longer the case.

And, among the older horse highlights, the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud had also escaped his clutches.

Last Sunday, Broome, the colt with the clever antipodean name (by Australia out of Sweepstake) swept that particular statistic into the dustpan of history too.

Now it is much harder to decide which is the most prestigious cross-channel contest he has yet to plunder.

Probably the Prix Vermeille – so look out for the Ballydoyle contenders in that fillies’ event on the second Sunday in September.

Broome’s success means that O’Brien has won four of the six French races that he has taken part in this campaign, all at Group 1 level, only Mother Earth (second in the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches) and Mogul (third in the Prix Ganay) have let the side down.

Broome’s victory in the Grand Prix de Paris was also Aidan’s 50th Group 1 success in France.

And, following on from St Mark’s Basilica’s imperious performance at Sandown a day earlier, O’Brien has now registered nine Group 1 victories this season, only one of which has come on home soil.

Most Irish nationals may have found international travel nigh-on impossible during this pandemic, but thankfully covid restrictions have not impacted too much on the wanderlust of the equine inmates of a certain Cashel establishment.

One way in which Sunday differed from previous recent raids was that this time, rather than super sub Ioritz Mendizabal, the O’Brien visitor was able to be partnered by an Irish jockey, none other than the reigning champ himself, Colin Keane.

The Co Meath man had never even been to Saint-Cloud before - and had only ridden Broome on one previous occasion, a dismal last of 13 in the Long Distance Cup at Ascot. But the lack of acquaintance didn’t show as Keane gave his mount a perfectly-judged front-running ride to notch his first ever top level win in partnership with O’Brien.

His inexperience did not stop him from setting a good even tempo, sectional timings later proving that he posted a sub-12 second early furlong, and it surely had not escaped Keane’s notice that prominent racers had been going well in the earlier races – a trend that was to continue throughout the afternoon.

He then got a breather into his charge between the seven and the six pole (13.16s) before upping the pace with half a mile to run.

No excuses

Ebaiyra, who ended up just holding on for second, a length behind the winner, had no excuses as she sat third and was plenty close enough when taking up the chase with over a furlong to run.

Similarly, the second Irish challenger, Joseph O’Brien’s Baron Samedi, could have no complaints having been Broome’s closest pursuer for much of the race.

He was eventually beaten by just under five lengths, and connections at least had the compensation of covering their travel expenses with the €11,440 fifth prize.

If there was a hard luck story it belonged to Gold Trip, last year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe fourth, who sat in sixth place in the eight-runner field and clocked the quickest time for the last three furlongs, half a second faster than the winner, but still came up a nose short of second.

Outpaced

The disappointment of the race was the favourite, In Swoop, who, though slightly short of running room and a touch outpaced early in the straight, managed to be pressing for second passing the furlong marker but then backed out of it to finish fourth. It is possible he is a better horse going right-handed.

Broome had not made the running in any of his previous 11 races but Keane revealed afterwards: “I spoke to Aidan beforehand and he told me to keep it simple and go on if no one else wanted to make it.

“Broome is an uncomplicated horse who is very consistent and he really deserved this first Group 1.”

Future plans for the winner are uncertain, though few could begrudge him a break given that he has been on the go since March.

Ebaiyra may drop back in trip for next month’s Prix Jean Romanet while Gold Trip remains a possible for the King George at Ascot in a fortnight’s time.