QATAR PRIX JEAN-LUC LAGARDÈRE Puerto Rico and Nighttime deliver a Group 1 double for Wootton Bassett in the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère

The Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère, which forms a Group 1 pair for two-year-olds alongside the Prix Marcel Boussac (restricted to fillies), produced an identical result just minutes apart! A victory for a colt trained by Aidan O’Brien, owned by the Coolmore partners and ridden by Christophe Soumillon, ahead of a Wertheimer & Frère runner trained by Christopher Head and ridden by Maxime Guyon, with an Aga Khan Studs representative trained by Francis Graffard and ridden by Mickaël Barzalona in third!

The winner was Puerto Rico (Wootton Bassett), followed home by Nighttime (Wootton Bassett) and Rayif (Sea The Moon).

In running, the race unfolded as clearly as one could imagine: Puerto Rico went straight to the front and never surrendered the lead, quickening strongly in the straight for an untroubled victory. Nighttime, who tracked him throughout, safely held second place, while Rayif did the same in third, though he had the handicap of launching his challenge a little wider out in mid-track.

The first two home provided a fine Group 1 double for Coolmore stallion Wootton Bassett, who sadly passed away earlier this year in Australia, where he was shuttling between hemispheres after beginning his stud career in France.

Belgian-born jockey Christophe Soumillon, based in France for most of his career, was riding Aidan O’Brien’s horses over the weekend, as first jockey Ryan Moore is currently sidelined through injury.

The official result

QATAR PRIX JEAN-LUC LAGARDÈRE

1st PUERTO RICO (Christophe Soumillon)

2nd NIGHTTIME (Maxime Guyon)

3rd RAYIF (Mickaël Barzalona)

Time: 1’41’’31 – Margins: 1 – 1¼ – Nose

Quotes from connections 

Aidan O’Brien, trainer of Diamond Necklace (1st), Ireland

“I’m delighted with this colt. When we stepped him up to 1,400 metres last time out, he really progressed. Christophe gave him a lovely ride. He’s a beautiful horse — big, strong, mature and with plenty of speed. So yes, I’m absolutely thrilled. It’s special, because Wootton Bassett himself won this race, and as you know, we lost him recently. This horse reminds me a lot of him. Camille Pissarro was also a big, powerful, dark horse — just like Wootton Bassett — and this one is the same: big, strong, dark, and very fast. Wootton Bassett himself had tremendous speed, and this colt has just as much of it.

Christophe said he’s a very fast horse, a real miler. He added he won’t go beyond that trip, but he has an awful lot of pace. (…) I probably ran him over trips that were a bit too short earlier on, because he was showing so much speed. I think he only ran over 1,200 metres before Doncaster, where he tried 1,400 metres for the first time in a Group 2, which he won — and the horse he beat that day went on to win yesterday.

Camille Pissarro then won the French Derby, which is a very important race. Maybe this colt can do the same, even if we’re not sure yet he’ll stay 2,000 metres. We thought Camille Pissarro wouldn’t, because he too was very fast — but he did, and that was fantastic.”

Christopher Head, trainer of Green Spirit (2nd), Chantilly (France)

“He’s a horse who will clearly be even better over a longer trip next year, so everything we saw from him today was really an unexpected bonus.

We were beaten by a very good horse — once again, one trained by Aidan — and I’m probably starting to get used to it! But we’ll come back stronger next year with both of them.

We’ll give them a quiet winter and plan the Poule, the Jockey Club and the Diane for the filly.

He’s going to strengthen up and mature a lot more, which is why we pushed him right to the top of his two-year-old programme. He’s shown good speed, so we’ll now be able to get closer to his true distance, and everything should go smoothly.

It’s incredible — the legacy that Wootton Bassett is leaving behind will only continue to shine, as there are still so many of his progeny to come. It’s always a real pleasure to train them; they’re incredibly straightforward horses.”

Nemone Routh, Racing Manager for the Aga Khan Studs, owners of Narissa (3rd), Chantilly (France)

“We’re happy with him. He’s still immature, but it was only his third start, and he’s already placed in a Group 1, so we can only be delighted with that. In the mornings he’s quite lazy, and you really have to ask him to work. The tempo suited him today, but they quickened hard in the straight, and it’s never easy to come from behind in those conditions. His turn of foot wasn’t quite as sharp as before, but he didn’t weaken. He’s learning with every run, and I imagine we won’t see him again this year.”

QREC, the official partner of the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe

The QREC was established in the early 1960s before achieving official recognition in 1975. It is mandated with representing, promoting and advancing equine and equestrian initiatives, from grassroots programmes to the international arena. Focused on equestrian sport and horse welfare, the QREC is dedicated to promoting Qatar as a world class hub for horse racing and a leader in the Pure Arabian breed.

The QREC works in collaboration with local bodies dedicated to achieving excellence in planning, regulation and the development of Qatar’s racing industry to reflect the world's best practices. The QREC has been partner of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe since 2008, and from 2022, it also became the title partner of the Qatar Prix du Jockey Club, one of the most important races for the selection of the breed.

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