19 July 2020
Sunday, July 19, 2020, Chantilly. - A long indecisive fight between two English raiders and a French filly punctuated the 2020 Darley Prix Robert Papin (Gr2), the first stage of the Darley Series before the Darley Prix de Cabourg (Gr3) and the Darley Prix Morny (Gr1) also run over 6 furlongs but in August at Deauville.
Ventura Tormenta (Acclamation) started very well with Axdavali (Goken), who gave up 2 out. The favourite The Lir Jet (Price of Lir) went ahead passing the stands and the fight started with his compatriot, but soon the unbeaten Marseilles-trained filly Tiger Tanaka (Clodovil) unexpectedly joined the fray and looked like a prospect winner too
On the wire, Ventura Tormenta kept a short head on The Lir Jet, himself a neck in front of the filly owned by Miguel Castro Megias, ridden by Jessica Marcialis, the partner of trainer Charley Rossi.
Trained by Richard Hannon Jr in England, where he was bought for £ 95,000 as a yearling, Ventura Tormenta started with a sixth place over 5 furlongs in the Norfolk Stakes (Gr2) won by The Lir Jet, whom he was facing again here. He won immediately afterwards over 6 furlongs at Yarmouth and then failed in the Superlative Stakes (Gr2) over 7 furlongs at Newmarket. Back on a shorter trip here, he never gave up, like a very hardened colt.
This is the seventh consecutive English victory in the race, the third overall for Richard Hannon Jr after those of Kool Kompany in 2014 and Gutaifan in 2015, the fourth for his family since his father also saddled the winner of the 1995 edition with Lucky Lionel. It is, finally, a third success in the "Papin" for the winning rider Christophe Soumillon, winner in 2005 with New Girlfriend, and in 2010 with Irish Field ...