True Love gives top trainer Aidan O’Brien his first Qatar Prix de la Forêt
QATAR PRIX DE L’ARC DE TRIOMPHE WEEKEND
QATAR PRIX DE LA FORÊT
True Love gives top trainer Aidan O’Brien his first Qatar Prix de la Forêt
Run over ParisLongchamp’s 1,400-metre “toboggan”, the Qatar Prix de la Forêt (Gr1) was won by the Irish-trained True Love. She is trained by Aidan O’Brien, the record-holder for the number of Group 1 victories… who, remarkably, had never previously won this race!
On Sunday, True Love got the better of the French-trained Nighttime, trained at Chantilly, who had looked the likely winner for a long way along the rail. Ridden by stable jockey Ryan Moore, True Love eventually gained the upper hand to score by a head. Aidan O’Brien also saddled another runner to finish on the podium – Puerto Rico – who was third, a head behind Nighttime.
Aged 3, True Love thus recorded the third Group 1 victory of her career. Her previous one came on May 3 at Newmarket in the 1,000 Guineas.
True Love was bred by Coolmore, whose colours she also carries.
The official result
QATAR PRIX DE LA FORÊT
1st TRUE LOVE (R.-L. Moore)
2nd NIGHTTIME (M. Guyon)
3rd PUERTO RICO (W. Buick)
Time: 1’18’’75. Margins: HEAD - HEAD - 2.
Quotes from connections
Aidan O’Brien, trainer of True Love (1st) and Puerto Rico (3rd), Ireland
“True Love won really well. I am very happy for her owners and breeders. She won the Queen Mary Stakes (Group 2) at 2, the Guineas (Group 1) in the spring of her 3-year-old season, and she is still here in the autumn after running very well several times. She has had a long season, but she has kept performing, from 1,400 metres to 1,600 metres. It is fantastic to win on this great weekend. We have had a very tough weekend and we had to wait until this Qatar Prix de la Forêt to get a winner. We are delighted to have won. Ryan [Moore] rode her more aggressively and that is a style that suits her. Puerto Rico also ran very well. Puerto Rico and True Love could go for the Breeders’ Cup Mile.”
Pierre-Yves Bureau, racing manager of Wertheimer & Frère, breeder and owner of Nighttime (2nd)
“Nighttime loves this 1,400-metre track. He is in great form. Putting blinkers on him has really brought him back into the race. We know he can sometimes be a little slow, but he was helped by the pace. He loves this track. I really think this is his right distance. He deserves his Group 1, so, a priori, we will keep him in training next year. Honestly, I think he was very ready for today, so he probably will not run again before next year.”