France: Blue Rose Cen edges Jackie Oh in Prix de l’Opera

Blue Rose Cen rebounded from two losses Sunday at Longchamp to win the Prix de l’Opera by a neck over Jackie Oh, the 3-year-old filly’s fourth Group 1 success and third this year.

Blue Rose Cen won the French 1000 Guineas and the French Oaks earlier this season, but had suffered an excusable defeat facing older rivals for the first time in the Nassau at Goodwood and a more concerning loss in the Prix Vermeille earlier in September. Cutting back from 1 1/2 miles last time out to 1 1/4 miles Sunday helped the filly, but it was gameness and class more than brilliance that got her home in the Opera.

Breaking on top, Blue Rose Cen was taken back by jockey Aurelien Lemaitre, allowing the son-father duo of Lumiere Rock, trained by Joseph O’Brien, and Jackie Oh, trained by Aidan O’Brien, to lead the Opera into the race’s one extended right turn. The race was run at a steady tempo and all three horses had their chance in the homestretch, but it was Blue Rose Cen edging clear late as Jackie Oh earned the place by one length over Lumiere Rock.

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Christopher Head trains Blue Rose Cen, a daughter of Churchill and Queen Blossom, by Jeremy. The Opera is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series and Head didn’t rule out a trip to Santa Anita for the Filly and Mare Turf, but Blue Rose Cen already has gone through a demanding season and despite winning Sunday might not be as sharp now as she was earlier in the year.

Opera Singer dazzles in Boussac, Rosallion takes Lagardere

Opera Singer showed plenty of pace going to the lead after the first furlong of the Group 1 Prix Marcel-Boussac for 2-year-old fillies, but it was the last part of the Boussac where she dazzled. Her acceleration visually apparent even on video, Opera Singer got her last 200 meters in 11.10 seconds and her final 600 in a fast 32.92 to win the Boussac by five lengths.

Opera Singer left her chief rival on paper, Darnation, struggling in her wake as Rose Bloom finished a distant second and Les Pavots was third.

Ryan Moore rode the winner for trainer Aidan O’Brien and Coolmore connections, and O’Brien said after the race he believed Opera Singer, a daughter of Justify and Liscanna, by Sadlers Wells, could get 1 1/4 miles next season. As for this year, the Boussac is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series, and while Opera Singer immediately became favored for the 1000 Guineas next May, her trainer left open the chance of a trip to Santa Anita for the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf.

A race earlier, Rosallion rebounded from a soft-turf disappointment in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster to win for the third time in four starts and land his first Group 1 in the seven-furlong Jean-Luc Lagardere for 2-year-old colts and fillies. Held up near the rear of the field by jockey Sean Levey, Rosallion swept past Unquestionable to win by one length. Favored Beauvatier managed to achieve the race’s top speed, but that was only good enough for third as Beauvatier tried to rally from last at the top of the homestretch.

Richard Hannon trains Rosallion, a son of Blue Point and the New Approach mare, Rosaline. Hannon said Rosallion will be aimed at the 2000 Guineas next spring but didn’t completely nix a run in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. Rosallion has automatic fees-paid entry into the Juvenile Turf since the Lagardere is part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series.

Unquestionable, a Wootton Bassett colt, is a likely BC Juvenile Turf runner, trainer Aidan O’Brien said.

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