€350,000 Royal-Oak: Iresine leads Marie Velon to the top

October 23, 2022, ParisLongchamp Racecourse (Paris). – Winner of the Qatar Prix Foy (Gr2) last time out, 5yo gelding Iresine (Manduro) did not go to the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe to focus on the €350,000 Prix Royal-Oak (Gr1), his first trial above 2,500m/12.5f.

Ridden by Marie Velon over the heavy 3,100m (about 2m) of the French St.Leger, the gelding owned by Bertrand Millière, Christian Goutelle, the trainer Jean-Pierre Gauvin and his brother Jean-Paul was held in last of a field led by Rajinsky (Zoffany), taken over going down the hill by the Irish raider Search for a Song (Galileo), who was going handily entering the final straight. Yet, Iresine had dived inside and outpaced the leader, who could not catch up again and had to make do with a 3 lengths second place, while a brave Sober (Camelot) stayed on in 3rd at 7 lengths.

It was a first Gr1 win for Marie Velon, who had also won her first Gr3 in La Coupe (Gr3) en 2021 and Gr2 in the Foy with the same horse.

Bred by Pierre Joyaux and Marie-Louise van Dedem Iresine was bought by Jean-Pierre Gauvin for only € 6,000 as a yearling in Deauville.

Iresine is the second foal out of Inanga (Oasis Dream) and her only winner to date. She has since given a maiden gelding by Style Vendôme, a Joshua Tree filly, a Chemical Charge colt and a Mondialiste colt this season.