€500,000 Prix de l'Opéra Longines (Gr1): Blue Rose Cen back in business

Sunday, October 1, 2023, ParisLongchamp Racecourse (Paris) – Winner of the Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac (Gr1) a year ago, followed by victories in the Emirates Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (Gr1) and the Prix de Diane Longines (Gr1), Blue Rose Cen (Churchill) fell into a trap at Goodwood before disappointing in her debut over 1 mile 4 furlongs in the Qatar Prix Vermeille (Gr1). Over the 1 mile 2 furlongs of the €500,000 Prix de l’Opéra Longines (Gr1), once again facing her elders, she ran behind the Irish front runners Lumiere Rock (Saxon Warrior) and Jackie Oh (Galileo) before attacking them and gaining the upper hand to win by a neck. Jackie Oh remained in second place in front of Lumiere Rock, while another favorite, Al Husn (Dubawi), couldn't only stay on behind the leaders she'd followed all the way.

Blue Rose Cen is the only listed foal out of Queen Blossom (Jeremy), who went through the sales ring three times in Ireland, the USA, and then in England, where she fetched £110,000 in December 2018 after winning three races, including two Group 3 events in Ireland and the USA. One of her brothers, Valcarlos (Duke of Marmalade), is a winner in Madrid, Spain. Blue Rose Cen’s fourth dam, Grey Angel (Kenmare), is a Group 3 winner in South Africa, and her third dam, Dream Time (Rainbow Quest), raced three times without success for the late Queen Elizabeth II.