Canari swoops to French Derby surprise

BLUE CANARI was brought with a powerful late charge by Thierry Thulliez to record a shock victory in the Prix du Jockey-Club at Chantilly yesterday and in the process give his trainer Pascal Bary a fifth success in the race.

Bary’s other wins in the French Derby had come with Celtic Arms (1994), Ragmar (1996), Dream Well (1998) and Sulamani (2002) and the local trainer was certainly surprised by Blue Canari’s win.

He said: “It was only a last minute decision to run him. He had form but I didn’t think he was good enough.