logo
Camille Pissarro flying the flag in France again for O'Brien

Camille Pissarro flying the flag in France again for O'Brien

Rhyl Journal27-05-2025

The Belgian partnered the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner in the French Guineas earlier in the season, when he finished well to claim third behind stablemate Henri Matisse on his first run over a mile.
Ryan Moore will take over in the saddle, with the son of Wootton Bassett O'Brien's number one contender this weekend as he steps up to 10 furlongs.
'He's a lovely horse, a big, scopey horse with a good mind,' said O'Brien.
'Christophe rode him the last day and the minute he came in he said this should be his next race, so that is where he's going.
'The French Guineas was his first time over a mile, so we weren't really sure how far he would stay. As a two-year-old we weren't even sure he'd get seven, but then he won the race on Arc day.
'He's a lovely, straightforward horse who is a good traveller so this will be interesting to see.
'We always thought he was better than he showed last year, but he just never showed up really.'
Each year O'Brien has a huge crop of regally-bred three-year-olds to split up between the Classics in Ireland, France and England and he gave some insight into that process.
He said: 'We feel at Chantilly you need a miler that stays, that's the way the French Derby is now over 10 furlongs. Before you'd need a classic middle-distance horse over a mile and a half. Now you need a miler than gets nine furlongs, I think – and might get a bit further.
'Over a mile and a half you used to have a bit more time to get into a rhythm.
'The Epsom horses, if you have a real good mile-and-a-quarter horse they might get away with a mile and a half there and then coming to the Curragh, it's a bit more straightforward, but they need to get a mile and a half well.
'When looking at the Guineas horses for Newmarket and Longchamp you need a horse with plenty of speed.
'We try to divide them up, but we get it wrong loads of times, you just have to listen to the likes of Christophe and Ryan.
'I remember when St Mark's (Basilica) won the French Guineas, he went back for the French Derby as a mile and a quarter was as far as he wanted. I know some of them go to the Arc, but you can get a slowly-run Arc.
'I would imagine Ryan would ride Camille, but I think Christophe is riding for someone else so I'm not sure whether Wayne (Lordan) will go over or some of our other riders.'

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

I could have closed gap to Celtic, insists former Rangers boss Philippe Clement
I could have closed gap to Celtic, insists former Rangers boss Philippe Clement

Belfast Telegraph

time5 hours ago

  • Belfast Telegraph

I could have closed gap to Celtic, insists former Rangers boss Philippe Clement

Clement felt he was working on a long-term project after the board told him to cut the wage bill last summer and develop younger players to fuel future spending. But his reign ended in February after back-to-back home defeats by Queen's Park and St Mirren left them out of the Scottish Cup and 13 points adrift of Celtic in the Premiership. Russell Martin has now been installed as his permanent successor after an interim stint from Barry Ferguson and the financial backdrop has changed following a takeover by an American consortium. 'It's a pity that the story stopped, that the board didn't have the patience or maybe listened too much to some fans,' Clement told BBC Scotland. 'There are other clubs where there is a difficult moment and everybody sticks together because everybody knows the story, how the work is done inside the building, and they continue and they are successful afterwards. 'In three or four windows, we could have closed the gap with a good development of players, but the decision is made and you need to accept it.' Clement pointed out that this time last year he was told the club's spending was not sustainable 'There was not fresh investment in the club, but the money available for the transfers would be the sale of players, so the amount you can get out of that,' he added. 'That was not much at the end, because the squad was with a lot of older players. So people didn't want to pay any more for them. Six players were out of contract, so they left for free.' The Belgian added that the wage bill was cut by 35 per cent in order to rebuild the squad. 'And the idea was, and that was clearly said at the board, that the club needed three, four transfer windows to get at the level of Celtic, because you have to gain money again by bringing young players in, developing them, making them better, selling them and getting money to make the squad better and better in the next two, three years,' he added. Clement believes progress has been made in that sense with the development of the likes of Nico Raskin, Jefte, Hamza Igamane and Clinton Nsiala. 'If they say there's no new investment, I now understand why,' he said. 'Because at the end, some people were already thinking about selling the club and selling their stocks.' Clement claimed Rangers under-achieved domestically but over-achieved in the Europa League and felt some players were not ready for the demands of competing on both fronts. 'I think it's normal in the financial situation the club was, but it's not good enough,' he said. 'But you need patience then to build it or you need to spend money. It's one of the two. Without one of the two, it's an impossible job.' Clement hopes his successor gets that backing. 'I hope that there comes stability, to work in a good way with the players, with the staff, with everybody in the club, to have a consistent story,' he said. 'I think that's a big part that the club has been lacking for years and I hope that the new owners can bring that for the club and for the manager also, for the players.'

Goliath regains winning thread with La Coupe strike
Goliath regains winning thread with La Coupe strike

North Wales Chronicle

time6 hours ago

  • North Wales Chronicle

Goliath regains winning thread with La Coupe strike

Francis-Henri Graffard's charge was a brilliant winner of Ascot's midsummer highlight in 2024, but returned to home soil with a point to prove having since failed to make his presence felt in either the Japan Cup in November or Hong Kong's QEII Cup in April. Dropping down to Group Three level, the five-year-old was sent straight to the lead by Christophe Soumillon and while Grand Stars briefly loomed up as a threat early in the home straight, Goliath picked up again once challenged and was well on top at the line. On the front-running tactics, Graffard told Sky Sports Racing: 'We decided with Christophe that his two best races were when he jumped and not to fight with him. We decided to let him roll along on his own and let him be very comfortable and when he's like that he's a very good horse. 'Off any pace he can quicken, he has this ability, he just needs to be relaxed. He's a horse that can be very tense, that's why he ran so poorly in Hong Kong. I'm very happy because I was unsure how he was going to behave mentally and this race will do him good, so we can restart the season with him.' On whether a defence of his King George crown could be on the agenda, the trainer added: 'I have to discuss it with the entourage. We'll see how he comes back and what Christophe says, but obviously he will target the big races again.' Maranoa Charlie stamped his class on the Group Three Prix Paul de Moussac. An impressive winner of the Prix Djebel on his seasonal reappearance, Christopher Head's charge was subsequently beaten into fourth place when dropped back to six furlongs in the Prix Texanita. The free-going three-year-old was unable to get to adopt his customary pacesetting tactics that day, but was soon out in front in this seven-furlong contest and confirmed his superiority over Djebel runner-up Silius with a clear-cut victory. Head said: 'He's really a beast! I can't wait to see him in the Group One Prix Jean Prat as his next race. That is why we were here today and I'm happy he has shown he has the capacity to win over 1400 metres (seven furlongs). 'It was important (to run in the Prix Texanita) because if he could have been a sprinter he could have been to Royal Ascot and everything, but he's showing that's he's not a sprinter and he's not a miler, he's in between and he's doing it very well. 'This horse keeps on surprising us and we just can't wait to see his next race.' Ed Walker's British raider Troia claimed Listed honours in the Prix Volterra. Winner of two of her previous four starts and third in Listed company at York last month, the daughter of Kingman knuckled down to go a couple of places better under Kieran Shoemark. 'She broke cleanly from the gates and we were able to get a beautiful position and we weren't going overly quick on the front end,' said Shoemark. 'We were able to save and save and she stays this trip really well. It actually surprised me as it just took her a few strides to hit top gear, but when she found it I felt she was comfortable at the line. 'She's a pretty straightforward filly and she wants to do it, which is the main thing.'

O'Brien looking to Curragh for Derby hero Lambourn
O'Brien looking to Curragh for Derby hero Lambourn

Leader Live

time7 hours ago

  • Leader Live

O'Brien looking to Curragh for Derby hero Lambourn

A son of dual Derby winner Australia, the three-year-old made virtually every yard of the running in the premier Classic under Wayne Lordan, providing O'Brien with his 11th Betfred Derby success. Speaking on Racing TV's Luck on Sunday programme, the Ballydoyle handler reported his three Derby runners to have returned home none the worse, with Lambourn's stablemates Delacroix and The Lion In Winter set to drop back in trip after finishing ninth and 14th respectively. 'The horses have been out for a walk and a pick of grass (this morning) and everybody seems very happy with them,' said O'Brien. "Lambourn's ran them RAGGED in the #EpsomDerby" 😮‍💨 A reminder of the CRACKER that Lambourn ran to win the 246th #BetfredDerby — ITV Racing (@itvracing) June 8, 2025 'We were expecting Wayne was probably going to go forward to make the running on Lambourn – unless there was someone going very fast he was going to end up in front and that's what happened. Wayne gave him a great ride, he had to be aggressive from the gates and he is a horse that stays very well.' O'Brien felt there were excuses for Delacroix, the chosen mount of Ryan Moore, and the Colin Keane-ridden The Lion In Winter. He added: 'It got a little bit rough up the hill, I think Ryan got chopped up at the top of the hill and Colin ended up a little bit more forward than he thought he was going to be and out a little bit. 'To have one horse in any race and it go right is very difficult, so if you have three in a race it's usually not going to go right for them all. 'We learnt that Wayne's horse stays very well and is a very straightforward, uncomplicated horse, we learnt Colin's horse could be a miler, so he was probably a mile out of his ground, and it's very possible that Ryan's horse is a mile-and-a-quarter horse, even though their races didn't go as well as they would have wanted. 'In the Derby every year you get fairly straightened out and sort out what you are or you aren't. The Derby and the Oaks are the races that expose the whole three-year-old generation, their flaws and their weaknesses and their strengths. You usually know where you're going after it.' On future plans for the winner, he said: 'The lads (owners) will make that decision and we'll see how he is when he gets back cantering in 10 days, but it looks like he's an Irish Derby horse and it looks like the Curragh would really suit him.' The trainer also praised the winning rider, who was winning his first Derby. 'Wayne is an unbelievable horseman and the most genuine, uncomplicated person you'll ever meet in your life,' O'Brien added. 'He's grateful for everything and expects nothing – that's Wayne totally. He' an unbelievable person to work with and an unbelievable rider, horseman and jockey all rolled into one.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store