Youmzain just denied in France as luckless run continues
Seeking a first triumph since his win in this Group One contest in 2008, Mick Channon’s stalwart quickened rapidly through the final furlong under Richard Hughes but came up short by the narrowest of margins.
Plumania, trained by Andre Fabre and ridden by Olivier Peslier, took it up from Pouvoir Absolu two furlongs out and the recent Group Two scorer battled well to fend off both favourite Daryakana, and then the fast-finishing Youmzain. John Gosden’s Coronation Cup third High Heeled appeared unsuited by the drying ground and failed to pick up for William Buick.
Meanwhile Tactic will be given an entry for the Melbourne Cup after his superb victory in Saturday’s Curragh Cup.
John Dunlop’s progressive four-year-old defeated the high-class Profound Beauty by two lengths, having previously won a Listed race at York without breaking sweat.
He is now poised to run in the Goodwood Cup on July 29, after which a trip Down Under could be on the cards.
“The ground suited us better than it did Profound Beauty, but we were obviously delighted with him,” reported Angus Gold, racing manager for owner Hamdan Al Maktoum.
“The plan before Saturday was that if all went well he’d go to Goodwood, and that’s obviously still in our minds.
“The handicapper will obviously put him up after Saturday, but we’ll also put him in the Melbourne Cup as that could be a good end-of-season target for him. He can hopefully become a very good Cup horse.”
