€80,000 Belle de Nuit (Gr3): David Menuisier rules staying fillies' race

Sunday, October 27th, 2024, Saint-Cloud Racecourse. - The €80,000 Prix Belle de Nuit (Group 3)'s 14 furlongs can be considered a consolation race for the Prix de Royallieu (Gr1). Led by the Irish-trained Bay Of Sanibel (Sea The Stars), the race pitted the two runners of French trainer David Menuisier, who is based in England, against each other: the 4-year-old Entrancement (Expert Eye), the favourite, and her 3-year-old stablemate Panthera (Cracksman). The former won a hard-fought battle by a short neck despite carrying three extra kilos due to her age and having a poor trip racing wide in mid-pack. Her rival had taken the lead from the pacesetter before being caught close to home.

Entrancement was winning her third consecutive race after progressing through the handicap ranks and winning her first Listed race at Bath over 2,800 meters. Purchased for 7,000 guineas as a yearling, the filly is entered in the December sales at Tattersalls. She is out of Entree (Halling), a Juddmonte homebred who won the Prix Bertrand de Tarragon (L) and the Prix de la Cochere (L) in France.