19 hours ago
Gezora hands Graffard rare 3-of-4 in Diane
PARIS French filly Gezora came off a superb late surge to win the €1 million (S$1.48 million) Group 1 Prix de Diane (2,100m) at her home track of Chantilly on June 15.
The Almanzor three-year-old is trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, who had three runners in the race, all of whom finished among the top four.
The Aga Khan pair of Cankoura (Clement Lecoeuvre) and Mandanaba (Mickael Barzalona) finished third and fourth respectively, split by the Irish-trained Bedtime Story (Ryan Moore) in second for Coolmore and Aidan O'Brien.
Such a grouped finish is unmatched in recent memory in the Prix de Diane and a remarkable achievement for Graffard, who won the French filly classic once before, with Channel in 2019.
The Godolphin-trained conditioner was particularly moved with that second success, more so when it was earned in front of his father, who once harboured career aspirations in a horsepower of a different kind for his son.
"It's incredibly emotional, especially with my father here today," he said.
"He's always supported me, even though he's not from the racing world at all. He dreamed I would become a Formula 1 driver."
Gezora ($27) did come screaming down the last 400m like a high-speed machine towards a resounding win that was not unexpected.
The last of her previous three wins came in the Group 2 Prix Saint-Alary (2,000m) at ParisLongcgamp on May 11. It is one of the official prep races for the Prix de Diane, also simply known as the Diane or the French Oaks.
"Gezora won the Saint-Alary really well, and more importantly, she continued to progress after that victory," said Graffard. "So she came into the big day in peak condition.
"I didn't really know her limits, so it's no surprise to see her win. She's an easy, professional filly.
"With this win, she gets a wild card for the Arc (Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe over 2,400m on Oct 5). We're keeping all options open, especially since we know she loves soft ground."
Gezora marked a welcomed return to the big time for Belgian ace jockey Christophe Soumillon, who secured his third win in the Prix de Diane after Latice (2004) and Zarkava (2008).
The multiple-time Cravache d'Or (top jockey in France) would have actually missed this year's renewal if not for Graffard's loyalty.
He was initially booked on Graffard's fourth entry Audubon Park, who was, however, scratched five days before the race because she was in-season.
"These are races where you have to be right there, and a bit lucky too," said Soumillon.
"On Tuesday morning, I had bad news with the situation around Audubon Park, and I was lucky that Gezora's trainer and owner trusted me with the ride. It's amazing."
Probably even more amazing was his tactical nous, even after he drew barrier 1, not necessarily a boon for Chantilly.
To many pundits, the race was won when Soumillon opted out from hugging the rails. It was a brilliant winning move that hailed one of France's best-ever jockeys, even if he does not garner the same support of his heyday.
"From the start, I told Francis that I didn't want to get stuck behind fillies with no chance," he said.
"Gezora didn't jump off very fast. As soon as I had the opportunity, I moved her out.
"I didn't want to leave Clement (Lecoeuvre, jockey of Cankoura) hung out wide, so I let him in. At the top of the straight, I could see Cankoura had a lot of horse left, and I managed to get in her slipstream.
"I was a bit boxed in, but what a thrill it was when she saw daylight.
"In our job, you can't give up. You have to get up every morning and work hard, and I hope this sets an example for the young riders.
"I may ride a bit less now, but I've got great trainers who believe in me, and when I get the chance to ride top horses in big races, it's a real treat." FRANCE GALOP
