Stakes sweep for Soumillon

Christophe Soumillon rode the winners of all three group races Sunday at Maisons-Laffitte where Valixir's victory in the Prix Messidor set him up perfectly for a much anticipated clash with Divine Proportions and Dubawi in Deauville's Prix Jacques le Marois on August 14.

Soumillon led throughout aboard Valixir in the one-mile $90,000 Group 3 Messidor to defeat Special Kaldoun by a length while spotting the runner-up 8 lbs., the penalty incurred for his recent Group 1 scores in the Queen Anne Stakes and the Prix d'Ispahan. Trained by Andre Fabre, Valixir was giving owner the Aga Khan a quick follow-up victory to that of Azamour in the Saturday's King George VI and Queen Elizabrth Diamond Stakes, as well as that of Shawanda in last Sunday's Irish Oaks. The 3-10 favorite, Valixir covered the straight mile on good ground in 1:35.70.

Earlier, Soumillon had guided the 5-2 New Girlfriend to a handy three-length tally over her Robert Collet-trained entrymate Queenslasa in the $144,000 Group 2 Prix Robert Papin. The winner first time out of the listed Prix Yacowlef, the 2-year-old Diesis filly traveled the 5-1/2 furlongs in 1:04.00, the fastest time for the race in 25 years. She will go next in Deauville's 6-furlong Group 1 Prix Morny on August 21 in an attempt to duplicate the Robert Papin-Morny double pulled off last year by Divine Proportions.

Soumillon completed his group race triple aboard the 5-2 Fabre-trained Archange d'Or in the 1 /4-mile $181,000 Group 2 Prix Eugene Adam.