Jacques le Marois: Inspiral back to best for Frankie Dettori and John and Thady Gosden

The Gosden yard first won Deauville's Group One mile event with Kingman in 2014 and, having landed the last two renewals with Palace Pier, made it a hat-trick courtesy of the Cheveley Park-owned Frankel filly under Frankie Dettori, who was claiming a record seventh Jacques Le Marois triumph.

Inspiral had reportedly been working well after suffering a shock defeat in the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket's July Festival, and duly roared back to the sort of form which saw her win the Coronation Stakes on her belated seasonal debut at Royal Ascot in June.

Dettori was patient on the well-backed 7/4 chance, coming between Order Of Austrlia and a weakening State Of Rest with a couple of furlongs to travel.

Light Infantry gave chase towards the stands' side rail but Inspiral held on a chase cosily from David Simcock's 22/1 outsider, with locally-trained 11/1 chance Erevann a close third.

The disappointment of the race was 2000 Guineas and St James's Palace Stakes winner Coroebus, who was very slowly away, but briefly threatened to make a challenge towards the middle of the course before dropping away inside the last half-furlong to finish a well-held fifth.

Paddy Power reacted by cutting the winner to 2/1 from 11/4 for the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown over Irish Champions Weekend next month.

Sky Bet go 2/1 from 10/3 for the Matron, 2/4 from 4/1 in the Sun Chariot Stakes and 11/4 from 5/1 for the QEII at Ascot on QIPCO British Champions Day in October.

John Gosden suggested Inspiral is unlikely to run again before QIPCO British Champions Day at Ascot in October.

“It wasn’t really that she was out of form last time – she’d had three weeks (since Ascot) and was in top form, but it was a small field and she didn’t get any cover. She over-raced, did too much and didn’t have much left at the end, which is her nature,” said the Clarehaven handler.

“There was a strong pace today and they went hard up front, Frankie said, so she switched off and relaxed and then she wanted to go and Frankie let her go. She probably hit the front a bit soon to say the least.

“She’s a three-year-old filly taking on older horses and she gets a little weight for that, which makes a difference, no doubt. But I think she’s shown her versatility and the key with her is to get her relax early. She’s very generous and wants to give and sometimes with that they’re a little over-enthusiastic.

“She’s done it well today and showed a lot of courage in the last part – she could easily have folded. We may well just freshen up for the QEII. You could go to a Matron or a Sun Chariot, but I would be inclined to freshen up for the QEII."

Dettori told Sky Sports Racing: “We were scratching our heads after Newmarket after an amazing performance in the Coronation.

“Today she was taking on Guineas winners and older horses and showed she’s a true champion. I’m pleased she’s bounced back to her very best.

“We went extremely fast throughout. She’s a filly that you need to know and when she wanted to go, she’s the kind of filly you don’t want to disappoint.

“I hit the front with plenty of time left, but John thinks she can get a little bit further, so I wasn’t afraid about getting to the line. She was champion two-year-old and apart from the blip at Newmarket she hasn’t done much wrong.”

Simcock was understandably thrilled with the performance of Light Infantry, who will now be prepared for a trip to Australia.

“I’m very proud of the horse and very pleased. He had a gallop to run at today, which was good, and he’s run his heart out and run a personal best,” said the trainer.

“I’m just happy that we’ve got here and run well and picked up a nice prize. Onwards and upwards.”

He added: “The likelihood is that he’ll go straight to the Golden Eagle in Sydney now in October. That will be his last run of the year and then he’ll come back."

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