Latest news with #PrixJean-LucLagardere
New Paper
6 days ago
- Sport
- New Paper
Irish masterpiece on full display in French Derby
PARIS Ireland's Camille Pissarro showcased his close affinity with France by claiming the €1.5 million (S$2.2 million) Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club (2,100m) at Chantilly on June 1. Camille Pissarro is trained in Ireland at the great Ballydoyle training centre, overseen by multiple-champion trainer Aidan O'Brien. But he clearly enjoys France, where he has received his best accolades: the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at age two in October 2024 and a third-place finish in the Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains (1,600m) on May 11. He is also a son of popular stallion Wootton Bassett, who first rose to prominence in France and now stands in Ireland at Coolmore Stud, the stud farm for which O'Brien trains. Besides the horse's name, a reference to one of the great French Impressionist masters, another French-Irish connection is his dam Entreat. She previously produced another Group 1 winner, Golden Horde, a son of Lethal Force now standing as a stallion in Normandy at the Haras de Montfort et Preaux. Slated as the first leg of the brand new Arc Races, the Prix du Jockey Club was effectively decided well before the finish line. The three horses who would eventually fill the podium, Camille Pissarro (Ryan Moore), Cualificar (William Buick), and Detain (Christophe Soumillon), were already well placed in ambush behind the two leaders - the eventual fourth-placed Trinity College (Wayne Lordan) and Bowmark (Tom Marquand) - 1,000m from the post, as they approached the long final bend that runs past the picturesque Great Stables chateau. In fact, among the top five finishers, the only horse to make up ground in the straight was the Aga Khan's Azimpour (Clement Lecoeuvre), who came in fifth ahead of his stablemate Ridari (Mickael Barzalona). All the horses who came from the outside, often forced there by bad draws, faded in the final straight. It yet again confirmed the belief that when high-class horses secure the rails, it is nearly impossible to make up ground on them. As an interesting anecdote, in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains, Camille Pissarro was beaten by his stablemate and co-owned runner, Henri Matisse, who is also a son of Wootton Bassett and is similarly named in tribute to a great French painter. Regarded by many as the best trainer in the world, O'Brien won his second consecutive Prix du Jockey Club, after years of trying unsuccessfully in the race English speakers refer to as the French Derby. His only previous win came with St Mark's Basilica in 2021. "After the Poule d'Essai des Poulains, when Christophe Soumillon got off the horse, he immediately told us to run him in the Jockey Club," said the Ballydoyle maestro. "He's a miler, but he stays 2,000 metres, and that's exactly what you need to win the French Derby. He's a colt we've always really liked. "Last year, he was our top chance for the Coventry Stakes, but at the time he was probably still too green. "Over time, he toughened up, and we felt in the second half of the season that he deserved a run in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere." No immediate plans have been pencilled in for Camille Pissarro, who has now enhanced his record to three wins and five placings in 10 starts. "As for the rest of his programme, we're taking it race by race," said O'Brien. "His owners will talk things through with the jockey, who will then get back to me." Despite pairing up with Camille Passiro in eight of his 10 starts for two of his three wins, Moore deflected the praise to Soumillion, who, incidentally was aboard third-placed Detain for John and Thady Gosden. "The race went very smoothly. I had a good draw, 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." The Arc Races were conceptualised by France Galop as a new circuit of eight marquee contests. The winners earn a wild card for the ultimate autumn challenge in the Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (2,400m) at ParisLongchamp on Oct 5. FRANCE GALOP
Leader Live
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Leader Live
Camille Pissarro flying the flag in France again for O'Brien
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.'
Rhyl Journal
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
Camille Pissarro flying the flag in France again for O'Brien
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.'
South Wales Guardian
27-05-2025
- Sport
- South Wales Guardian
Camille Pissarro flying the flag in France again for O'Brien
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.'
The Herald Scotland
23-05-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Rashabar team full of confidence for Irish Guineas challenge
Jaazeiro (1978), Sadler's Wells (1984) and Prince Of Birds (1988) were all trained by Vincent O'Brien, before Peter Chapple-Hyam won twice in three years with Rodrigo De Triano and Turtle Island in 1992 and 1994 respectively. 'He's in tremendous form. He did a lovely bit of work this week,' said Sam Sangster of the Manton Thoroughbreds-owned colt, who has been second in the Prix Morny, Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and Greenham Stakes since Ascot. Camille Pissarro comes from the back and sweeps home in the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere for Aidan O'Brien and @CSoumillon 🏆 A fifth success at the Arc meeting for @Ballydoyle 💪 — British Champions Day (@Champions_Day) October 6, 2024 'We had to miss the French Guineas due to a spiked temperature a week before, but he's been absolutely fine since then. 'He's got a lovely draw in stall one and obviously he's paired up with the man that won the race last year (Sean Levey), so we're coming into the race full of confidence, to be honest. 'If you were taking the form out of the Lagardere, you'd have every right to be coming with every confidence. 'I think he's probably the horse that's a little bit underestimated, he definitely needed the run in the Greenham, he's had plenty of time between runs, Brian and the whole team are extremely happy with him, so it's all systems go really.' Cosmic Year is the only unbeaten runner in the race (David Davies/PA) The Juddmonte silks of the late Khalid Abdullah bid for a third win in the race, after Kingman in 2014 and Siskin in 2020. They are well represented this year with John and Thady Gosden's Newmarket runner-up Field Of Gold, Andrew Balding's Windlord and the only unbeaten runner in the race, Harry Charlton's Cosmic Year. Oisin Murphy rode Cosmic Year in his first two outings before Ryan Moore took the mount last time out, but Murphy is back on again this weekend. 'I'm really looking forward to Cosmic Year. It's obviously a Group One and he's stepping up in class, but he's been very good in his three runs so far,' he said. 'It looks a very good renewal of the race with Aidan O'Brien's two Officer and Expanded, Field Of Gold and a Group One winner in Hotazhell, and who knows with some of the other horses who are lightly raced. 'Harry seems very happy with him though, hopefully he can travel over there well and let's see how we get on.' Field Of Gold (right) finished well to be second at Newmarket (Joe Giddens/PA) Colin Keane – who steered Siskin to glory – replaces Kieran Shoemark on John and Thady Gosden's Field Of Gold and speaking earlier this week said: 'I'm delighted to be asked to ride him, he looks a very good ride going into the race, I'm very much looking forward to it. 'The Juddmonte colours are those that growing up watching racing, you know who they are. I've been very fortunate to win two Classics wearing them and a couple more Group Ones and I'm just delighted to be asked to ride the colt at the weekend.' Jessica Harrington's Hotazhell beat Aidan O'Brien's Delacroix in the Futurity Trophy. He was scheduled to run in the French Guineas but was pulled out an hour before the race as the ground was deemed too quick. Jessica Harrington (second left) with Hotazhell at Doncaster (Mike Egerton/PA) 'Hotazhell has been good since he returned from France,' said Kate Harrington, assistant to her mother. 'It was obviously a hard call (to miss the French race), but I think our decision was justified with the track record broken on the day. 'We have just freshened him up since he came back and I walked the track at the Curragh on Tuesday and it was beautiful ground with a great job done on watering it. We are really looking forward to him running a big race and he has a lovely draw as well in stall number four.' Aidan O'Brien runs Officer and Expanded, while his eldest son Joseph is represented by Scorthy Champ. Joseph's brother Donnacha is also involved through Comanche Brave.
