Prix de Diane Longines : 26,000 salute ‘Queen’ Laurens
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The lure of the Prix de Diane Longines (Gr1) succeeded in attracting a crowd of 26,000 at Chantilly last Sunday. France’s biggest race for three-year-old fillies was annexed by Laurens (Siyouni), who is trained in Britain by Karl Burke and owned by John Dance. Hers is also a triumph of French breeding as the filly was born and bred at the Haras de Bourgfontaine, not far from Chantilly, by Melchior-François Mathet: the son of legendary trainer François Mathet.
Adding to her Paris Longchamp win in The Gurkha Prix Saint Alary (Gr1), Laurens prevailed in an epic finish in which the first five home were separated by less than half a length. The superb power packed finish of Musis Amica (Dawn Approach) enabled her to snatch second from Homérique (Exchange Rate). The latter was supplemented by her owner, Steve Burggraf, the founder of the Big Fernand gourmet burger ‘chain’. Happily, trained in Ireland, by Aidan O’Brien took fourth – a place in front of the locally-trained With You (Dansili).
The Prix Hocquart Longines (Gr2) was won the progressive Nocturnal Fox (Farhh) on his first attempt at both the 2.400 metres trip and group company. He races in the colours of the Godolphin stable and is trained by André Fabre. He may be seen next in the Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris (Gr1).
Wusool (Speightstown) proved to be a Prix Paul de Moussac Longines (Gr3) ‘sensation’ by recording the easiest win of the day. He is due to tackle the Prix Jean Prat (Gr1) at Deauville on July 8th. Very highly regarded by trainer François Rohaut, he fully repaid the confidence on his first attempt at group level. The dam, Torrestrella (Orpen), who died shortly after the colt was born, won the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (Gr1) for the same Pau-based trainer.
Finally, the filly, Hunaina (Tamayuz) won the Prix Bertrand du Breuil Longines (Gr3) at the main expense of the very useful Trais Fluors (Dansili). Carrying the ‘British’ colours of Trevor Stewart, the winner is trained at Chantilly by the young ‘blade’ Henri-François Devin.
Future pointers for the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe
A great lover of French racing, John Dance, the owner of the Prix de Diane Longines (Gr1) winning Laurens (Siyouni), has made no secret of the filly’s major target: the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Gr1) ! Homérique (Exchange Rate), far less experienced than the British filly and a close third, will be ‘gunning’ for revenge in the ‘Arc’.
Musis Amica (Dawn Approach), the « Diane » second also holds an Arc de Triomphe entry and deserves to take her chance.