Bago beaten as Valixir stakes his Arc claim
Jonathan Pease’s colt, ridden by Thierry Gillet, could manage only third place in the Group Two contest, beaten just over a length on his first attempt at a mile and a half.
He never looked like landing a blow to the principals in a race that was won last year by subsequent Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe victor Dalakhani.
Eric Legrix, riding Valixir (11-2), looked to have taken Prospect Park’s measure halfway up the straight but the second rallied gamely and only failed by a nose to get back up. Bago was running on, a length away.
The winner and runner-up were third and second respectively behind Blue Canari in the Prix du Jockey-Club in June after looking likely to have the finish between them until Pascal Bary’s outsider swooped late.
Blue Canari could finish only fifth on this occasion.
Roland de Longevialle, racing manager to Valixir’s owners the Lagardere family, immediately nominated the Arc as the colt’s next target.
He said: “Today was our Prix du Jockey-Club and this time he won. He has never been better. He’ll be at the start in three weeks’ time and he will give a good account of himself.”
Trainer Andre Fabre added: “Like his father Trempolino (who won the Arc in 1987), he is improving at this time of year.”
Ladbrokes go 14-1 Valixir and Prospect Park for the Arc back here on October 3, while William Hill and Coral go 10-1 the pair.
Alan Cooper, racing manager to Bago’s owners the Niarchos family, said: “We are just a little puzzled because he had a look, and then he came home very well.
“Thierry was happy with him, but there is no confirmation of our plans at the moment.”
No clues for the Arc emerged from the afternoon’s feature event, the Group One Prix Vermeille Fouquet’s Barriere, which was won by the outsider Sweet Stream (16-1). She is not even entered in next month’s big race.
Gillet brought John Hammond’s filly with a powerful run up the inside after looking in a hopeless position coming off the final bend, and to her credit she stuck on gamely to beat Royal Fantasy and Pride.
Hammond said: “She came here in transit (on her way to America) but like me fortunately she stayed.
“The owner, Barry Irwin, has been very patient as I told him that she would be very much an autumn horse.
“She’s not entered in the Arc and I may find a race for her abroad.”
Latice, the previously unbeaten winner of the French Oaks, was sent off the 11-10 favourite but did her Arc chances no good at all by dropping out to finish eighth of the 10 runners after leading in the straight.
Policy Maker (11-8) booked his place in the Arc field with an all-the-way success in the Prix Foy Gray d’Albion Barriere.
After the son of Sadler’s Wells had beaten Short Pause and Richard Hannon’s Nysaean by two lengths and one and a half in the 12-furlong Group Two race, owner Alec Wildenstein said: “He can take his chance in the Arc. It looks pretty open. It looked a closed shop with Doyen and Latice, but they have conked out. Vallee Enchantee will also run and so will a pacemaker.”
Steve Knight, representing Hannon, said: “Jimmy (Fortune) said we should consider dropping him back to a mile and a quarter.
“The ground was a bit lively but we are pleased with his run.”
Ladbrokes go 25-1 Policy Maker for the Arc, while William Hill have the colt at 20-1.
Westerner was a smooth winner of the Prix Gladiateur Royal Thalasso Barriere.
The Elie Lellouche-trained five-year-old, who finished a good second to Papineau in the Ascot Gold Cup, was ridden with great confidence by Olivier Peslier in the Group Three event.
He raced along in mid-division behind David Elsworth’s Gold Medallist, who made much of the running.
Peslier brought the evens favourite to the fore with a furlong to go and he quickly drew clear along with the Richard Gibson-trained Cut Quartz, and just did enough to hold on by a short neck.
