Latest news with #ChristopheSoumillon
The Herald Scotland
12 hours ago
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Goliath regains winning thread with La Coupe strike
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.'
South China Morning Post
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Ryan Moore shines on Camille Pissarro in French Derby as Croix du Nord confirms star status
Ryan Moore showed his class once again as Camille Pissarro got the gaps in the nick of time to win the Group One Prix Du Jockey Club (2,000m) at Chantilly on Sunday. The $3.4 favourite was always prominent in the box seat under Moore but as the field began to sprint in the home straight, he was stuck behind a wall of horses. Camille Pissarro was forced to sit and suffer, but Moore kept the revs up on the Wootton Bassett galloper and when Bowmark began to weaken on the rail, the 41-year-old needed no second invitation. The pair quickened up smartly into the lead between horses at the 200m pole and gained a winning break, fending off late challenges from Andre Fabre's Cualificar and the John and Thady Gosden-trained Detain in the final strides. Camille Pissarro wins the 2025 Prix du Jockey Club! 🏆🇫🇷 — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 1, 2025 Christophe Soumillon, who rode third-placed Detain, won on Camille Pissarro in the Group One Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (1,800m) last season and Moore – perhaps tongue-in-cheek – gave the French star credit after Sunday's success. 'The race went very smoothly. I had a good draw [barrier one], the pace wasn't crazy, but the horse was very relaxed,' said Moore. 'When I asked him, he responded well. Christophe Soumillon taught me how to ride him!' And trainer O'Brien followed suit, with the French Derby distance seemingly a masterstroke by Soumillon. 'After the Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains, when Christophe Soumillon got off the horse, he immediately told us to run him in the Jockey Club,' said O'Brien. HK Racing News Get updates direct to your inbox Sign up Best Bets Racing News By registering you agree to our T&Cs & Privacy Policy Error: Please enter a valid email. The email address is already in use. Please login to subscribe. Error, please try again later. THANK YOU You are one the list. Aidan O'Brien was once again formidable on the big stage. 'He's a miler … but he stays 2,000m, and that's exactly what you need to win the French Derby. He's a colt we've always really liked.' Meanwhile, Croix du Nord bounced back from defeat in the Group One Satsuki Sho (2,000m) and confirmed his lofty reputation with a sparkling performance to win the Group One Tokyo Yushun (2,400m). Ho O Atman made sure the Japanese Derby was a test, zipping out to a 10-length lead, with Yuichi Kitamura stalking the pace in the main group on $2.4 favourite Croix du Nord. As the field turned in, Kitamura made his move and when he asked the Japan Racing Association's Best Two-Year-Old Colt for 2024 for maximum effort, he responded by charging to the lead at the 300m. Both Masquerade Ball and Shohei finished fast, but neither were ever going quick enough to land a glove on the next Japanese superstar, with Kitamura heaping praise on his partner. 'I felt it was my responsibility to make Croix du Nord a Derby winner ever since the colt won the Hopeful Stakes, so my feeling now is that I am relieved to have accomplished by mission,' said Kitamura. 'The colt felt great today and I was able to come into the race with every confidence, so victory itself came as no surprise to me. 'The break was smooth and after that, I was concentrating on keeping him in a comfortable rhythm more so than what position he was sitting in. In the stretch run, he responded really well and as I've said, I had every confidence in the colt and drove him on believing that he would make it to the wire a winner.'
