Longchamp: Les Beufs connects for mother-son team in Prix Royal-Oak

The mother-son team of trainer Valerie Seignoux and jockey Julien Guillochon pulled an upset in Sunday’s Group 1 Prix Royal-Oak at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris with the 3-year-old outsider Les Beufs.

Les Beufs, sent off at 13-2, led throughout the marathon over 1 15/16 miles, finishing 4 1/2 lengths in front of 26-1 Silver Valny. Rollex Borget, an 11-1 chance, finished third in the field of nine. Dalkala, the 13-10 favorite, finished fifth, fading in the final furlong.

Les Beufs, a French-bred by Apsis, was second in the Group 2 Prix Chaudenay for 3-year-olds at Longchamp on Oct. 6, the gelding’s group stakes debut. He will race in marathon races in 2013, Seignoux said on Sunday.

Japan: Eishin Flash takes Tenno Sho

In Japan, Eishin Flash won his biggest race since the 2010 Japanese Derby in Sunday’s $3.4 million Tenno Sho at Tokyo Racecourse.

A 15-1 shot, Eishin Flash closed along the rail in the last furlong to win by a half-length over Fenomeno, the 2-1 favorite. Rulership was third in the field of 18 3-year-olds and up. Eishin Flash, ridden by Mirco Demuro, ran about 1 1/4 miles on turf in 1:57.30.

Trained by Hideaki Fujiwara, Eishin Flash, a 5-year-old by King’s Best, was sixth in the Dubai World Cup earlier this year. Owned by Toyomitsu Hirai, Eishin Flash was ninth in the Grade 2 Mainichi Okan at Tokyo Racecourse on Oct. 7.

Italy: Sortilege earns first Group 1 victory

Sortilege, a 4-year-old filly who was overmatched in a Group 1 race in France earlier this year, won her first race at the highest level in Sunday’s Group 1 Premio Lydia Tesio at Capannelle Racecourse in Italy.

The win was the first Group 1 success for jockey Andrea Atzeni, who frequently rides in England.

Trained by Andreas Wohler, Sortilege raced in mid-pack in the Premio Lydia Tesio field. She moved closer to the front with a quarter-mile remaining and won by a length over Cherry Collect, the 5-2 favorite.

Nova Hawk was third in the field of 11.

Sortilege was eighth behind Snow Fairy in the Group 1 Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville, France, in August, but rebounded to win the minor Grand Prix de la Region Alsace at Strasbourg, France, on Sept. 15.