€80,000 Qatar Prix Foy (Gr2): Iresine redeems his prize
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Sunday, September 15, 2024, ParisLongchamp Racecourse (Paris). - The Irish raider Continuous (Heart's Cry), last year's St Leger (Gr1) winner and the favourite for the €130,000 Qatar Prix Foy (Gr2), a prep race for the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Gr1) for older horses, led the race until the entrance to the straight ahead of Iresine (Maduro), on his outside, Zarir (Frankel) in his slipstream and Feed the Flame (Kingman), who would be pulled up in the final straight.
However, Continuous could not resist the determined attack of Iresine in the final straight, who overcame his tenacity and then repelled the good final effort of Zarir, who finished 2nd by a short neck, no less than 2.5 lengths from the Irishman.
A gelding, Iresine had won this same race in 2022. The road to the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe was closed, so he switched to the Prix Royal-Oak (Gr1) and the Prix Ganay (Gr1) the following season. Second in the Qatar Prix Foy last year, for his comeback, he went on to win the Prix du Conseil de Paris (Gr2) on his way to the Japan Cup (Gr1).
Absent for six months afterwards, he delayed his comeback to finally win the Prix Bedel (L) with a two-kilo penalty before finishing 4th in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, behind Zarir, who was 2nd that day.
Iresine is the second foal out of Inanga (Oasis Dream), a direct descendant of Riverqueen (Luthier), winner of the Poule d'Essai and Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud for the Head family. Inanga is also the dam of Purple Lady (Joshua Tree), winner of a race sold €90,000 at Arqana in foal to Doctor Dino in July 2023 to Horse Racing Advisory, of a gelding by Chemical Charge who won in Lyon in May when trained by Jean-Pierre Gauvin, of a 2-year-old by Mondialiste also entrusted to the Loire trainer, and a filly by Intello born this season.
What connections said:
Jean-Pierre Gauvin – the trainer of Irésine (1st) – à Saint-Cyr-les-Vignes (Loire)
« The preparations [of the gelding] went according to plan. The bad weather hindered us at the beginning of the season. He only saw the racecourse for the first time this year at Lyon on 18 May, but it proved a blessing in disguise as we didn’t have to get to the bottom of him on his seasonal debut at a racecourse he loves. Today's race gave me many answers about how much work he needs. Before the race, I didn't want Marie Vélon, his jockey, to obtain too much cover on Irésine, but how the race unfolded meant that she found herself upside the leader [on Irésine]. That worried me a bit but ultimately proved to be the right tactic! The Group 1 Champion Stakes at Ascot (GB) remains a possibility for the gelding’s next race. The Prix du Conseil de Paris (Group 2), run 24 hours after the Champion Stakes, is another possibility if the ground doesn’t ease enough in Britain. »
Nemone Routh, the racing manager of His Highness The Aga Khan, the owner of Zarir (2nd) :
« We're delighted with this semi-reappearance effort, as Zarir hadn't raced for three months. In the false straight, he seemed to lose his action where the ground was softest. He's a genuine top-of-the-ground horse but honest and invariably gives his best. He seemed to be a bit tired in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud, but since then, we have rediscovered him again [in terms of ability]. Since his last race, we have eased his workload a little to boost his morale. He's entered for the Arc Sale, and I don't think he'll be seen again at the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe weekend, as the ground will certainly have eased him too much. We'll have to discuss it with his entourage, but there's a good chance he'll head to the sale... »
Hermine Bastide – the French representative of Coolmore, the owners of Continuous (3rd)
«We're very pleased with Continuous's performance. We knew we were going head-to-head with some outstanding horses. The horse is a picture and in good form. The pre-established plan, as set out by his owners and trainer, is to head to the Arc weekend to tackle the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe planned before heading to the Breeders' Cup. »