Sosie Aces Prix d’Ispahan, Will Point to Coral-Eclipse
Sosie took another step along the road to compiling what would be a season for the record books with a hard-fought success in the Prix d’Ispahan (G1) May 25, setting up a crack at the £1 million Coral-Eclipse Stakes (G1) at Sandown in July.
Sosie, supplemented for the Ispahan in the week in order to test his speed for the Sandown assignment, responded to pressure from Maxime Guyon a furlong out before wearing down Sardinian Warrior , with daylight back to third-placed Horizon Dore .
“The Wertheimer brothers were keen to run him in the Eclipse, so we had to test him over the shorter distance, so the option was the Ispahan,” said trainer Andre Fabre. “I was delighted. For a horse that is able to run a mile-and-a-half and over, to have speed enough to beat those nice horses, it’s the best we could expect.”
The owners’ racing manager Pierre-Yves Bureau added: “We had that slight worry about whether he has enough natural speed for this and 1,850 meters (between 1 1/8 miles and 1 3/16 miles) is a different game to when he won the Grand Prix de Paris over 2,400 meters (1 1/2 miles) last year or even the Ganay the other day.
“Maxime rode him quite forward and set about the leaders early enough because he’s a horse that needs to be wound up, but he’s just a very good horse.
“He’s a magnificent horse to look at who is now physically mature and, while it’s a middle-distance family, his dam won over a mile.”
Seven Ganay winners had run in the Prix d’Ispahan previously this century, and only Cirrus Des Aigles in 2014 had completed the double.
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Candelari Takes Prix Vicomtesse Vigier
There would be no better validation of the decision to elevate the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier (G1) to group 1 level than if the impressive winner Candelari were to go on to run a big race in the Gold Cup (G1) at Ascot June 20, a prize for which he was slashed to a general 6-1 (from 25) following a powerful display May 25.
In doing so he earned jockey Clement Lecoeuvre a first top-level success in his homeland, as the 27-year-old proved himself a more-than-able deputy to the suspended Mickael Barzalona.
“What’s happened to me here is extraordinary,” said Lecoeuvre, whose biggest previous victories had come come in Germany and Italy.
“I’m already very lucky to be able to ride for the Aga Khan Studs in the mornings. Mickael is suspended, but he gave me everything I needed to know from A to Z, and I knew Candelari as well from riding work.
“I had a slight worry he might lack for experience, but we knew the quality was there and I’m just overwhelmed at how well it all went and how good he is. It’s special to win in these fantastic colors.”
Candelari pulled 3 1/2 lengths clear of Sevenna’s Knight and winning trainer Francis Graffard saw no reason in the aftermath not to aim for Ascot.
“We’ve had to be patient with him and he’s now repaid us,” said Graffard. “Last time he had a rough trip and I urged Clement to keep him a little further forward today so that he could really make his acceleration tell.
“This was a proper group 1 test, and I think he’s a champion at this trip. He’s entered in the Gold Cup. We’ll see how he comes out of this, but you know I like to challenge over there when the opportunity presents itself.”
