Juddmonte fillies Announce, Timepiece run one-two in Prix Jean Romanet

The 4-year-old filly Announce led a Juddmonte Farms one-two sweep in the Prix Jean Romanet, and Dabirsim won the Prix Morny to earn a quote in future-book betting for the English 2000 Guineas of 2012 in Group 1 races at Deauville, France, on Sunday.

Announce, trained in France by Andre Fabre, finished about a head in front of stablemate Timepiece in the Prix Jean Romanet, a 1 1/4-mile race for fillies and mares. Ridden by Maxime Guyon, Announce was fourth in the field of five until the final quarter-mile.

Lily of the Valley set the pace but was caught by Timepiece, who led briefly before being overtaken by Announce in the final sixteenth. Lily of the Valley held third.

By Selkirk, Announce won her first Group 1 race in the Prix Jean Romanet, which had a purse of approximately $360,000. Announce won the Group 3 Prix Allez France at Chantilly in May.

The one-two finish by Announce and Timepiece was the second sweep of a Group 1 exacta during the race week for Juddmonte Farms, preceded by Twice Over and Midday in the Juddmonte International Stakes at York in England on Wednesday.

Announce is likely to return in the Group 1 Prix de l’Opera at Longchamp on Oct. 2, the championship race of the year for fillies and mares in France.

Dabirsim remained unbeaten after four starts with a three-length win in the $500,000 Prix Morny, over six furlongs for 2-year-olds.

Ridden by Frankie Dettori, Dabirsim finished clear of runner-up Family One, the winner of two group stakes in France this summer. Dettori had Dabirsim tracking pacesetter Family One until the eighth pole when he took over to win comfortably.

Vladimir finished third in the field of seven.

Dabirsim races for Simon Springer and Christophe Ferland, who is based in the south of France. Last month, Dabirsim, a French-bred colt by Hat Trick, won his stakes debut in the Group 2 Prix de Cabourg at Deauville. Ferland said the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket, England, on Oct. 8 will be Dabirsim’s next goal.

The win in the Prix Morny earned Dabirsim a quote of 14-1 with British bookmakers for the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket next spring. Harbour Watch, the winner of the Group 2 Richmond Stakes at Goodwood last month, is the 8-1 favorite for the 2000 Guineas.