Royal Marine wins Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere; Lily’s Candle takes Prix Marcel-Boussac

Royal Marine won the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere for 2-year-olds after Lily’s Candle launched Sunday’s Arc de Triomphe card at Longchamp with a narrow victory in the Group 1 Prix Marcel-Boussac.

Both races were contested over one mile and are part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Win and You’re In series, offering the winners fees-paid berths plus travel expenses to Louisville, Ky., for the BC Juvenile Turf (Lagardere) and BC Juvenile Fillies Turf (Boussac).

No mention of a Breeders’ Cup trip was made regarding Royal Marine, piloted by 23-year-old Oisin Murphy for Godolphin and trainer Saeed bin Suroor. But Lily’s Candle might be headed to Kentucky. Bloodstock agent Michel Zerolo arranged Lily’s Candle’s purchase by American owner Martin Schwartz at the Arqana Sale on Saturday night for just less than $450,000 and said after the Boussac that the filly could be aimed at the Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Lily’s Candle prevailed in a blanket finish after rallying late and wide under Pierre Charles-Boudot to get up by a head over Matematica, who was a head better than Star Terms. The winning time for the one-turn mile on “good” ground was 1:38.98.

Lily’s Candle was the first Group 1 winner for the Belgian-born trainer Fabrice Vermuelen. Lily’s Candle, a daughter of Style Vendome and Golden Lily, by Dolphin Street, had won a pair of provincial races before catching Zerolo’s eye while finishing fourth at Longchamp in the Prix La Rochette. That race’s winner, The Black Album, is owned by Team Valor International and also had the Juvenile Fillies Turf as a goal.

Royal Marine stepped up to the Group 1 level following a highly rated Doncaster maiden win last month and took the measure of pacesetting Broome, who fought back after being passed in midstretch and was beaten a neck in the end. Odds-on favorite Anodor made mild late progress but could only finish third, beaten a half-length by Broome. The winner was timed in 1:39.10.

Royal Marine, by Raven’s Pass and out of Inner Secret, by Singspiel, will winter in Dubai and appears unlikely to start in the Breeders’ Cup. Trainer Aidan O’Brien said Broome, whose name had previously been mentioned regarding the Juvenile Turf, wouldn’t race again this year.

• Mabs Cross won a tight photo over Gold Vibe and 2-year-old Soldier’s Calling in the Group 1 Prix l’Abbaye. Battaash set the pace in the five-furlong, straight-course dash but could not quite keep pace late and finished fourth. Gerard Mosse rode Mabs Cross, a 4-year-old son of Dutch Art and the Pivotal mare Miss Meggy, for trainer Michael Dods. Mabs Cross had raced competitively in a series of high-level sprints this season but won his first Group 1 in the Abbaye.