Super Marchand D’or leaves Head dizzy
There have been a total of five dual winners of the Group One sprint since its inception in 1922 – the latest being Boitron in 1979 and 1980 – but no other horse has gone on to make it three.
Sent off the 5-4 favourite, having won the July Cup at Newmarket last month, Marchand D’Or travelled ominously well towards the rear of the field but was trapped behind a wall of horses.
But once the gap came, the response was electric as Davy Bonilla’s mount flew through to take up the lead from African Rose and score a shade cosily.
“I was a little bit worried when he was trapped but this can happen in racing,” said a delighted Head, who was successful in the race as a jockey on Anabaa in 1996.
“It was a long way from home and I knew that once he got out, he would just stride out to the line.
“It is great he is now in the record books as he is a real champion.”
Head is keen to let his stable star have another crack at the Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock, a race he was second in 12 months ago.
“I think he will go to Haydock next and then the Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp on Arc day will be his target after that,” Head added.
It was a memorable day for the French handler as he was also on target with Avanti Polonia in the Prix de Pomone earlier on the card.
Held up at the rear in the early stages, the filly showed a smart change of gear to challenge Turfrose inside the final furlong and win handsomely for Bonilla.
Richard Fahey’s Anna Pavlova proved the big disappointment of the race, eventually coming home a well-beaten fifth.
Avanti Polonia was not one of the market-leaders for the Group Two contest but her victory came as no surprise to her trainer.
“She was a very good filly in Germany last year and she ran well in two good races earlier this season,” said Head.
“Her last race didn’t really count because we sent her to the front and she did too much.
“But she has improved a lot since then and she is now a very nice filly.”
