€350,000 Abbaye de Longchamp Longines: The Platinum Queen, 44years after Sigy
Photo scoopdyga.com
Octobr 2, 2022, ParisLongchamp Racecourse (Paris). – The 66th Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp Longines (Gr1) looked a bit unusual as three runners drew wide opted for the away rail rather than join the fray on the post side. It did not pay off but added some fun in the sprint.
The favourite and eventual winner, the British 2-year-old raider The Platinum Queen (Cotai Glory), wasn't quite common either since no 2-year-old had won the race since Sigy in 1978, even though Superstar Leo and Kingsgate Native had finished second in 200 and 2007 respectively.
yet the Middleham Park Racing filly, ridden by Hollie Doyle, did not duck any fight. On he contrary, she was pushed to the lead and resisted the challenges from there. She beat by a short neck her 4-year-old compatriot White Lavender (Heeraat) and the French gelding Cœur de Pierre (Zanzibari), who were always close to the pace.
The Platinum Queen, bought for £57,000 at the Tattersalls breeze-up in April, ran for the first time two months later and won at Ripon. She couldn't keep up at Royal Ascot in the Queen Mary Stakes (Gr2) but won again three weeks later at York, then at Goodwood before finishing second against hr elders in the Nunthorpe Stakes (Gr1). Beaten by a short head then at Doncaster in the Flying Childer Stakes (Gr2), she did not miss the mark again at Longchamp.