A review of the action from Saturday's meeting at ParisLongchamp where Frankie Dettori struck aboard Real World.
Real deal for Dettori
Frankie Dettori and Real World fended off the late thrust of The Revenant to win the Qatar Prix Daniel Wildenstein.
Saeed bin Suroor's charge has been one of the most improved horses in the mile division this season and was in front over a furlong out having mastered the front-running Novemba.
However the runner-up, who won this last year, was just about to hit top gear under Olivier Peslier and finished with a real flourish.
He was still a neck adrift at the line though.
Bin Suroor said: “This horse has improved a lot. He won at Royal Ascot, then a Listed race at Newbury and then a Group Three at York and then we brought him here.
“There was a question mark about the soft ground. He had never run on this ground, but we gave him a chance and thankfully he won. Physically he looks good – he is not there yet, but he is still improving.
“I think he can run between a mile and a mile and a quarter. We will speak to Sheikh Mohammed about a plan, but more than likely will take him back to Dubai.”
He added: “We’ll keep the options open for him in Group One races, but he could be a Dubai World Cup horse – if he handles the dirt. He finished second on the dirt in Dubai last year. We will run him on the turf first, just to get him fit, and then maybe take him to Saudi before the World Cup.”
Double delight for Dettori
Dettori doubled up when John and Thady Gosden’s Loving Dream led an English one-two as she narrowly prevailed in the Qatar Prix de Royallieu.
Starting at 8/1, the Gleneagles filly found herself locked in a tight finish with Roger Varian’s runner-up Believe In Love.
It was the Gosden contender that ultimately prevailed by a short neck, claiming a Group One title to add to her Group Two win in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.
Thady Gosden said: “When she was headed by Andrea’s (Atzeni) filly it was a little bit concerning, but she’s a very gutsy and tough filly and obviously very talented.
“Frankie gave her a wonderful ride. As we all know, when he’s in form, nobody can beat him. She obviously enjoyed the step up to a mile and six (furlongs), although she won the Ribblesdale over a mile and a half well. She likes a bit of cut in the ground. She wouldn’t mind it a bit quicker than it is today, but she handled it.
“There’s Champions Day in a couple of weeks, but we’ll see how she is and talk to the owners. They bred this filly and this is what it’s all about for them.”
Perfect start for Appleby
Charlie Appleby made the perfect start to Arc weekend when favourite Manobo led home a one-two for the stable in the Qatar Prix Chaudenay.
Now unbeaten in four starts, the son of Sea The Stars swept to the front approaching the furlong marker and after drifting to the far rail, was driven out by James Doyle to fend off the renewed challenge of stablemate Kemari by three-quarters-of-a-length.
Andre Fabre's Tides Of War was close-up in third.
It's a huge weekend for the Moulton Paddocks handler who runs both Adayar and Hurricane Lane in Sunday's feature.
“I’m pleased with the way the race went,” said Appleby. “He (Manobo) was a little bit fresh and awkward for the first couple of furlongs, but James said once they turned out of the back he was happy he’d got into a nice rhythm.
“He said he actually surprised him with his acceleration. My instructions were to get into him early as he’s a big unit and needs to get rolling, but James said he gave him a squeeze and before he knew it he was hitting the front. We hoped he could work into a profile where we had a Cup horse in time, and I think he’s starting to make ground towards that.”
There has been much discussion about the Longchamp ground and the wet Paris forecast over the weekend, with Doyle describing the current going as: “Very testing. It’s certainly genuine soft ground that takes a bit of getting.”
Appleby is now likely to give both horses a break ahead of next season, with Champions Day at Ascot seemingly not on the agenda for either.
“We’ll put the two of them away, I’d imagine,” he said. It was always the plan for Manobo to come here. It’s been mooted about whether we would take him to Ascot, but he had to battle today and he is only a young horse and a nice, staying horse for the future.After running on soft ground today, it might be a big ask for him to go back to Ascot on Champions Day.”
Top Dollar for Haggas
William Haggas enjoyed a Group Two success in the Qatar Prix Dollar when Dubai Honour prevailed as the 2/1 favourite.
The three-year-old had won on his two previous outings, latterly the Group Two Prix Guillaume d’Ornano at Deauville, and provided Doyle with a Longchamp treble after the Prix Chaudenay victory of Monobo and the Prix du Cadran with Trueshan.
“It’s been a great day,” Doyle said. “Coming into it they all looked to have good chances on paper, so I was quietly confident, but I’ve had other days like that at Longchamp and nothing happens. It can be tricky places to master, but when you’re on the right horses, it’s quite straightforward.
“It was difficult to assess this horse (Dubai Honour) coming into it. He’d won quite a strong handicap at Newmarket and then in Deauville I kind of felt the race set up for him a bit. I rode Highland Avenue in the race and we went way too quick early and it suited closers.
“But you couldn’t knock that performance today. I thought we’d be brave and hang on and there was never really a moment’s worry – I was in full control really. To ride winners here is not easy, so to get three means I can bounce into tomorrow with a spring in my step.”
Haggas, who was at Newmarket rather than Longchamp, said of Dubai Honour: “I’ve only seen the race on television, but I’ve been told that he has won nicely so that is terrific. He has done nothing but improve. He won a handicap at the July Meeting then he won the Guillaume d’ Ornano and this confirmed that victory was not a one-off.
“I don’t think he will go for the Champion Stakes. I’ve not discussed it with his owner yet, but I think he might go to Bahrain. It was a big leap going from a handicap to a Group Two last time, but he is a good horse and I’m very pleased with him. He is going to stay in training and we will make a plan for next year. He is gelded so we might do some travelling with him and try to get some money.”