Morgan Le Faye impresses, Holdthasigreen levels score

The favourite Morgan Le Faye (Shamardal) has largely dominated the Prix Allez France Longines (Gr3), Sunday at ParisLongchamp on a good to soft ground (3.3). The Godolphin mare left an up and coming Tosen Gift (Lope de Vega) second at two lengths after a comfortable ride behind the leading group. Second last time out when both were coming back from their Winter spell, in the Prix Zarkava (L), the Agaz Khan's Shahnaza (Azamour) finished third ¾ of a length behind, proving unable to keep up with the winner when she took off early in the last straight.

Morgan The Faye is a daughter of Molly Malone (Lomitas), winner of the Prix du Cadran (Gr1). She was bought as a yearling for € 350,000 at the Deauville sales. It is the family of Monsun (Königsstühl) and Brametot (Rajsaman).

The mare was geared towards the staying program last year, notably when finishing third on the Prix Royal-Oak (Gr1) two-miler behind Holdthasigreen and Called to the Bar, but she gained speed, and a wide range of races is available to her now. Her name evokes the character of the Arthurian legend that is the fairy Morgan.

Holdthasigreen (Hold That Tiger) and Called to the Bar (Henrythenavigator) were also at ParisLongchamp on Sunday in the Prix de Barbeville (Gr3). On this occasion, the 7-year-old gelding owned by Jean Gilbert and Claude Le Lay tied the mark with his rival 2-2. Fast ahead, he repelled every attack to win by a length. Always kept in the warm inside the field along the rail, Way To Paris (Champs Elysees) finished strongly in second, Called to the Bar having to settle for third place, just in front of a brave Mahoe (Doctor Dino), always at the forefront.

Olendon (Le Havre) also won on Sunday over 1m1f in the Prix Finlande (L) for owner Gerard Augustin-Normand, while Urwald (Le Havre, photo opposite) also scored for the haras de Saint-Pair in the Prix du Pont Neuf (L), over 7f. In that race, the favourite Epic Hero (Siyouni), recent second to the classic contender Persian King in the Prix de Fontainebleau (Gr3) finished only fourth here without showing the same brilliance than in his previous races this term. The two winners are engaged in The Emirates French Guineas.