Prince of Lir set for French debut in Prix Robert Papin

The Royal Ascot winner Prince of Lir will have his French debut in Sunday’s $142,500 Prix Robert Papin for 2-year-old colts and fillies at Maisons-Laffitte Racecourse.

The Group 2 Prix Robert Papin at 5 1/2 furlongs drew a field of six that includes several accomplished runners.

Prince of Lir, an Irish-bred by Kodiac, beat maidens at Beverley Racecourse in northern England in May in his debut and won the Group 2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 16 for trainer Robert Cowell. Prince of Lir closed from just off the pace to win the five-furlong race on a straightaway by a half-length. The colt is owned by the Cool Silk Partnership.

There are two other stakes winners in the Prix Robert Papin field – Hargeisa, a Kentucky-bred by Speightstown who won the Group 3 Premio Primi Passi in Italy on June 26, and Cosachope, who won the Group 3 Prix du Bois at Deauville on July 2.

Cosachope and Hargeisa are two of four fillies in the Prix Robert Papin, along with Al Johrah, who was second to the American-trained Lady Aurelia in the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes for fillies at Royal Ascot on June 15. The loss was the first in three starts for the French-based Al Johrah, who is owned by Al Shaqab Racing.