ParisLongchamp review: Frankie Dettori back with a bang on Anapurna
A review of Saturday afternoon's meeting at ParisLongchamp where Frankie Dettori won the Group One Prix Royallieu on Anapurna on his first ride in a week.
Dettori back with a bang
You just can't keep him out of the limelight.
No rides for a week, since Lord North won the Cambridgeshire, and Frankie Dettori returns to the arena with a win aboard Anapurna in the Group One Qatar Prix de Royallieu.
Keeping his powder dry for Enable and limiting the chances of getting injured, Dettori has avoided the racetrack over the last seven days but his first ride back is a Group One winner. That's so Dettori 2019.
Mind you, he faced a few anxious moments in a lengthy stewards' inquiry in which the result was only announced with the jockeys coming out for the next.
The Investec Oaks winner drifted to her left in the closing stages, squeezing up Delphinia who was making a challenge alongside Anapurna's stablemate Enbihaar in the final furlong.
It was no foregone conclusion considering the head on angle, but the length-and-a-quarter victory margin seemed a key factor in the stewards' decision.
Trainer John Gosden wasn't at ParisLongchamp on Saturday, but his son and assistant Thady cut a relieved figure afterwards.
He said: "It was a bit nervy there in the stewards' inquiry. She won by over a length which was probably key, the winning distance, so it would've been slightly unjust to reverse the placings.
"She ran here in the Vermaille, she didn't break very well there and got stuck on the rail on the inside, getting knocked about a bit and she didn't really enjoy it.
"Today she's bounced back. She's jumped well out of the gates, up on the lead, Frankie's a genius from the front and he was able to set his own fractions.
"We'll see how she comes out of the race, it's up to the owners [if she runs again this season].
"There's obviously only a few targets left, the Fillies & Mares at Ascot, possibly the Breeders' Cup, we'll see."
Dettori got a ban of two days following the race.
Frankie Dettori not concerned of risking the flying dismount from Anapurna ahead of Enable in the Arc tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/YquKi6tT7D
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) October 5, 2019
Skalleti thwarts British raiders in Dollar
Line Of Duty failed to justify odds-on favouritism in the Qatar Prix Dollar, the opening race on Arc weekend at ParisLongchamp.
Charlie Appleby’s son of Galileo was sent off the 5/6 favourite but could only manage third behind impressive winner Skalleti, who was landing a six-timer.
Roger Varian’s Mountain Angel was a three-quarter length second.
Skalleti won three conditions races for trainer Jerome Reynier earlier in the season before winning at Listed and Group Three level, but this Group Two victory was another step up.
Proven on the soft ground and over the trip despite winning over a mile last time, he came with a strong late run under Pierre-Charles Boudot to land the spoils from Mountain Angel.
William Buick was aboard Line Of Duty in third and he described the ground as ‘nearly heavy’, while Appleby felt the softening of conditions went against his charge.
The trainer said: “We’ve had rain this morning and it’s very soft out there, which didn’t really suit.
“It was another solid run, though, a brave performance, and I’d say his next run will be over in Santa Anita for the Breeders’ Cup Mile.”
Doesn’t feel he needs to lead, thinks he’s freshened up well since Germany...
— Ben Linfoot (@BenLinfoot) October 5, 2019
Charlie Appleby pretty bullish ahead of Ghaiyyath’s bid to spoil the Enable party in the Arc tomorrow #QPAT2019 #ghaiyyath https://t.co/iNYVXqbN9Q
The Revenant streak continues
Pierre-Charles Boudot made it a quickfire double at Longchamp after he steered The Revenant to victory in the Group Two Qatar Prix Daniel Wildenstein later on the card.
Francis-Henri Graffard's son of Dubawi has now won eight of his 10 career starts and is four from four this campaign, the former Hugo Palmer-trained horse thriving in his new career in France.
He relished the testing conditions to win by four-and-a-half lengths from Olmedo, an impressive performance considering he had to give weight to everything.
Olmedo was the 9/4 joint-favourite but his trainer Jean-Claude Rouget felt he was too keen early on.
Rouget said: "He ran okay, he pulled too hard in the early stages and that didn't help him in the soft ground. I'm pleased with him."
Technician lands Boudot treble
Boudot didn't stop with his double as he booted home Martyn Meade's Technicican in the Group Two Qatar Prix Chaudenay over 1m7f in the penultimate contest.
It looked as though Moonlight Spirit had slipped the field deep into the contest, but Technician came with a withering late run to land the spoils.
A winner of the Geoffrey Freer Stakes on soft ground earlier in the season, Technician relised conditions that were described as very soft as he bounced back from his St Leger defeat, emphatically reversing the form with Nayef Road.
The Qatar Prix du Cadran was won by Holdthasigreen, Tony Piccone sweeping down the outside to thwart Call The Wind and Dee Ex Bee.
Related Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe links
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