Whipper stings Morny raiders
hipper, whose two previous attempts in Group company had resulted in a fifth and a fourth, provided jockey Sebastien Maillot with his first Group One victory.
The soft ground proved a determining factor in the outcome of the six-furlong event as Whipper ended the unbeaten record of the favourite, Much Faster, in decisive fashion.
Much Faster, in the firing line throughout with Aidan O’Brien’s pacemaking Haydn, looked to have the race at her mercy over a furlong out.
But Whipper, clearly relishing the conditions, scorched past for a decisive two-length victory.
Collet said: “We have always thought a lot of Whipper and he is a constantly improving type. I am delighted Sebastien Maillot won his first Group One. We have had many successes together.”
Much Faster held on to second by a short head from her Pascal Bary-trained stablemate Denebola, who had the winner back in fourth in the Prix de Cabourg.
O’Brien’s challenge was well and truly scuppered, with Old Deuteronomy doing best of his trio in fourth, beaten all of 11 lengths, after racing prominently up the stands rail.
He said: “I said beforehand that it was impossible for any horse to win along the rail.”
His other two runners, Colossus and Haydn, filled the last two places.
Brian Meehan’s Carrizo Creek also failed to make an impact and was beaten 12 lengths into fifth place under Darryll Holland.
The result proved a major boost for the home side as the first three are all trained in France. Charge d’Affaires was the previous domestic winner of the race, in 1997.
Meanwhile John Dunlop’s Big Bad Bob had too much class for his six rivals in the Group Three Furstenberg Rennen over 10 furlongs at Baden Baden.
The Arundel raider, a 2-5 shot, made all the running under Pat Eddery and was never in danger of defeat.
Adding to a Deauville Listed win, Big Bad Bob took the honours by three-quarters of a length from Senex, and it was a margin that could easily have been increased had Eddery wished.
Winning Dash was six lengths further away in third.
Eddery was seventh of nine on All Moonshine, from the stable of Lord John Fitzgerald, in the Listed Kronimus Rennen, won by Attilia.
Mark Johnston’s Penny Cross (Stanley Chin) was beaten a length and a half and a neck by Avenir Rubra and Furioso Directa in the Listed Preis des Casino Baden Baden.
