Criterium de Saint-Cloud

(Group 1)

FOLLOWING on from six and five Irish Group 1 triumphs in France in each of the past two seasons, it took until Warm Heart’s September Prix Vermeille success for the Gaelic invaders to taste top-level victory there in 2023.

After a second Aidan O’Brien-trained filly, the two-year-old Opera Singer, also hit the bullseye there on Arc day, last Sunday’s Criterium de Saint-Cloud provided a moment of Irish domination as, with Joseph O’Brien’s Islandsinthestream sandwiched between them, two Ballydoyle juvenile colts completed a 1-2-3 for the visitors in this mile and two furlong contest.

Shiffrin set a decent pace before bringing the entire field to the outside rail in the home straight so it was something of a surprise, given this extreme stamina testing on a demanding surface rated ‘very soft’, that all seven runners were stretched across the course pretty much line abreast with a furlong and a half to run.

Best of all

Islandsinthestream came through from the rear to hit the front soon after, only for Los Angeles, who had seemed a little uncomfortable under jockey Christophe Soumillon through the middle part of the race, to stay on best of all up the outside rail and grab the advantage close home.

The winning margin was a neck, with Illinois, Aidan’s supposed first string given that stable jockey Ryan Moore had chosen to ride him, three-quarters of a length back in third and the Christopher Head-trained Ramadan, who had been prominent throughout, a neck away in fourth.

Given that this race has failed to live up to its billing in recent times, and that the first four home were covered by little more than a length, it is hard to get excited about the level of the form.

Los Angeles must be given credit for the way that he saw out the trip, especially given that this was just the second start of his life, and the same comment applies to the third, who did not have the benefit of a running rail to race against, surely a critical factor for one so inexperienced. The feeling persists, however, that this pair are a little way behind their four Group 1-winning juvenile stablemates.

Future

Soumillon revealed afterwards that he had spent much of the race trying to get Los Angeles to move onto his left lead leg around this left-handed track, while Aidan stressed that it was all about the future for both of his charges.

“Los Angeles is a very big horse who needed the experience and you’d imagine would be much better next year,” he said. “Ryan was very happy with Illinois too, he’s another big baby who will improve plenty.”

Son Joseph was similarly upbeat, saying: “It’s frustrating for Islandsinthestream to be second in another Group 1 but I’m very proud of his performance.”

Criterium International (Group 1)

MUCH of the rest of the card belonged to 43-year-old David Menuisier, who may train in Britain but was certainly supporting ‘Les Bleus’ at the Rugby World Cup and whose accent betrays the fact that he was born in Lorraine, north east France.

After beginning his racing life as assistant to Criquette Head-Maarek and having done stints in both England and America, Menuisier fulfilled his lifelong ambition to become a trainer when setting up in West Sussex some 10 years ago with just two horses.

A rapid rise to the top of the profession seemed to have been secured when Wonderful Tonight won five pattern races for him, including two at the highest level, between 2020 and 2021, but times have been harder since, so securing the 11th and 12th group successes of his career, including a third Group 1, on a sunny Parisian afternoon must have been sweet.

The biggest part of the double came when Sealiway’s two-year-old full-brother, Sunway, proved just too strong for the hot favourite, Alcantor, in the mile Criterium International.

Dug deep

Well ridden by Oisin Murphy, Sunway followed in the hoofprints of Los Angeles by grabbing the outside rail and, after Alcantor had come past both him and Aidan O’Brien’s front-running Navy Seal with a furlong and a half to run, Sunway dug deep in the closing stages to see off the market leader by half a length.

The O’Brien-trained Portland, plugged on to be third, a length and three-quarters away, with Navy Seal dropping away to finish fifth of the seven runners.

Sunway is one of the first horses that Menuisier has trained for Guy Pariente, the top French owner who bred both Sunway and his listed-winning dam, not to mention standing the sire, Galiway, and the dam’s sire, Kendargent, at his Haras de Colleville. Pariente has been such a force in recent years that it is hard to believe that this was the first time his familiar yellow and white silks had been carried to Group 1 success.

“Sunway is a horse for next year’s classics,” Menuisier said. “He will definitely stay a mile and a quarter and might even get a mile and a half.”

Second victory

Menuisier’s second victory, via a front-running triumph from Caius Chorister in the mile and six-furlong Group 3 Prix Belle de Nuit, must have been equally as satisfying given that it was for his original patron, Clive Washbourn, who was in ebullient mood, soaking up his roles as both the winning owner and breeder.

“Vive la République!” shouted Washbourn in the unsaddling enclosure, “this horse will win the Ascot Gold Cup next year and the King will have to put up with my celebration after that!”

Far rail best

Murphy was the winning rider once more, but he navigated a very different late course this time, up the far rail, aware that Andre Fabre had demanded in the previous race, the Group 3 Prix Perth, that his jockeys go against the grain and keep to the inside in the finishing straight.

The Fabre duo, Belbek and Tribalist, duly finishing first and third, while Caius Chorister maintained a four-length advantage to the line in front of two fellow cross-channel raiders, the William Haggas-trained Royal Mila and Charlie Appleby’s Sunset Point.

Harrington in good Voice

THE afternoon had commenced with another good result for Ireland as Jessica Harrington’s Village Voice got up late to deny Manisha by a neck in the Group 3 Prix de Flore over a mile, two furlongs and 110yards.

A listed winner back in April and twice Group-placed since, Village Voice is improving steadily and her owner, Patrick Cooper, suggested that the daughter of Zarak might have a go at a German Group 1 if she recovered quickly and would remain in training as a four-year-old.