Grand Prix de Chantilly: Way to Paris, also available in Deauville

Sunday, May 31, 2020, Deauville. - As surprising as it may seem, 7-year-old Way to Paris (Champs Elysees)'s win in the Grand Prix de Chantilly (Gr2) is only his second in France. He had also run only once in Deauville, in the 2018 Grand Prix, where he had only finished sixth. Andrea Marcialis was a little concerned because of that as his old grey was again at the start in Deauville. He did start awkwardly and his rider Pierre-Charles Boudot had to settle in the rear, but slaloming in between horses, his horse built up his confidence and he came breezing by the runaway French King (French Fifteen ), who finally got beaten by four and a half lengths for his return. He just held off a very resolute Royal Julius (Royal Applause), only beaten a short neck. The favourite Ziyad (Rock of Gibraltar) was not himself, 89 days after his success on Chantilly's all-weather.

The grey was bought £ 50,000 yearling at Tattersalls in 2014. His dam Gray Way (Cozzene) won the Premio Lydia Tesio (Gr2) in Rome-Capannelle for owner Dr Carlo Vittadini before entering stud. She has given Distant Way (Distant View), a dual winner of Premio Presidente della Repubblica (Gr1), and several other winners before Way To Paris. He began his career in Italy, where he won 3 years at Listed level and followed his trainer, Andrea Marcialis, when he moved to France in spring 2016. Since then, Way to Paris has performed regularly over distances varying from 10 to 14 furlongs. He's had a good run at the start of 2019 over long distances, culminating in his success in the Prix Maurice de Nieuil (Gr2) over 14 furlongs. Clearly beaten in his last two attempts in 2019 in the Prix du Cadran (Gr1) and the Prix Royal-Oak (Gr1), he was sixth for his return in the Prix Exbury (Gr3), over 10 furlongs at Saint-Cloud. In the Prix d'Harcourt (Gr2), however, he had finished very well in second and confirmed here.