Plumania takes Grand Prix De Saint-Cloud
Youmzain missed out on yet another Group One win by a matter of inches when Plumania won the Group One Grand Prix De Saint-Cloud.
Richard Hughes had Youmzain (pictured), who had not won since this same race in 2008, in his accustomed position at the back of the field as Pouvoir Absolu led, but looked to be in trouble as the field galloped into the home straight, where he seemed to have no way through.
Hughes was tracking the favourite, Darykana, and then got the split he needed. Youmzain came rapidly through the final furlong as he swept past Darykana. But Olivier Peslier had grabbed a two-length lead, when Plumania took it up from Pouvoir Absolu with a quarter-mile to run, which Youmzain was cutting down with every stride as the pair passed the post locked together. The official verdict went in Plumania’s favour by just a nose, with Darykana a short-neck back in third.
John Gosden's High Heeled did not seem to relish the drying ground and failed to pick up for William Buick to finish last of the seven runners.
The next drama was a stewards' inquiry, which involved the winner and the fifth-placed Pouvoir Absolu. However, they decided the Andre Fabre-trained Plumania had not denied his rival fourth place and the placings remained unaltered.
Mick Channon, who has watched as Youmzain has finished second in the Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe for the last three years, accepted this latest reverse and said the horse would run next in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot next month – a race in which he finished second to Dylan Thomas in 2007 – and then another crack at the Arc.
http://www.senore.com/Cape-Blanco-an-eighth-Irish-Derby-winner-for-Aidan-OBrien-a13934
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