Cirrus des Aigles cruises in Prix d’Ispahan
Now 8, Cirrus des Aigles won for the 20th time on Sunday at Longchamp, leading from start to finish and capturing the Prix d’Ispahan by 1 1/2 lengths over Anodin.
Marcus HershMay 25, 2014
Now 8, Cirrus des Aigles won for the 20th time on Sunday at Longchamp, leading from start to finish and capturing the Prix d’Ispahan by 1 1/2 lengths over Anodin.
Kingman, the beaten favorite when second May 3 in the English 2000 Guineas, made amends with his first classic win in Saturday’s $376,188 Irish 2000 Guineas at The Curragh.
Harp Star, who rallied from last in a field of 18 to win the Japanese 1000 Guineas at Hanshin Racecourse in April, will be favored to win her third consecutive stakes in Sunday’s $2,204,393 Japanese Oaks at Tokyo Racecourse.
There is Group 1 racing in Ireland both Saturday and Sunday, but the big European race of the weekend is the Group 1 Prix d’Ispahan on Sunday at Longchamp, in which Olympic Glory ships from England to face the ageless French gelding Cirrus des Aigles.
Heavily favored Olympic Glory easily won his 4-year-old debut in the Group 1 J.T. Lockinge Stakes at Newbury in England on Saturday, as Verrazano, making his turf debut and first start for trainer Aidan O’Brien, finished a creditable third
Haskell Stakes winner Verrazano’s first start in Europe comes in an ambitious spot, the Group 1 J.T. Lockinge Stakes on Saturday at Newbury in England.
Mikki Isle led throughout Sunday’s $1,883,693 NHK Mile for 3-year-old colts and fillies at Tokyo Racecourse in Japan, the colt’s fifth consecutive win and first in a Grade 1 stakes.
The favored Karakontie added the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) to his Group 1 tally in the Jean-Luc Lagardere last fall, outlasting Prestige Vendome by a neck to win the French classic on Sunday at Longchamp.
Karakontie was the best 2-year-old based in France last year, and despite being defeated in his 3-year-old debut, he’s widely favored to win the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains (French 2000 Guineas) on Sunday at Longchamp, where the going is described as good to soft.
The Group 3 Chester Vase, a trial for the Epsom Derby, will get more attention than usual this year since the race’s 2013 winner, Ruler of The World, went on to an upset victory in the Derby. Ruler of The World, however, was the first horse to score a Vase-Derby double since Shergar in 1981.