RACING PRIX DU JOCKEY CLUB: A FRUSTRATING Classic weekend ended with another placed effort for the Aidan O'Brien-Johnny Murtagh team at Chantilly yesterday, as Westphalia finished only third in the French Derby behind surprise winner Le Havre.
After filling the second, third, fourth and fifth spots in Saturday’s Epsom Derby, O’Brien hoped for a first Prix du Jockey Club success yesterday. But after shaping like a possible winner a furlong-and-a- half from home, Westphalia couldn’t stay on as strongly as Le Havre and runner-up Fuisse.
Runner-up to yesterday’s favourite, Silver Frost, in last month’s French 2,000 Guineas, Le Havre turned that form around to complete a memorable day for jockey Christophe Lemaire and trainer Jean Claude Rouget.
Lemaire and Rouget had earlier won both Group Three races on the Chantilly card, but it was a first victory in France’s premier Classic for both men.
Le Havre is now as low as 12 to 1 for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in October.
O’Brien was satisfied with Westphalia’s effort, but bemoaned a high draw in 13.
“He has put in a solid performance but was drawn very wide and had to come wide to make his challenge,” he said. “Ideally we would have liked a low draw. The winner has come from a low draw.”
He added: “But the winner was second in the French 2,000 Guineas, and we were third, so the form looks solid.”
In the race, Lemaire was happy to settle in the pack as the free-running Feels All Right and O’Brien’s pacesetter Set Sail battled for the early lead.
Silver Frost took up a prominent position in fourth on the inside rail and he was still sitting on the heels of the leaders turning into the straight.
However, when Olivier Peslier switched him for a run, he found little as Fuisse pushed on with Murtagh weaving through in search of a clear passage on Westphalia.
However, Lemaire had crept up the inner on Le Havre and he showed an admirable change of gear to accelerate away and come home a clear winner.
O’Brien’s other runners, Malibu Bay, Set Sail and Drumbeat, were all out of the frame, along with Godolphin’s Parthenon, who was never able to take up his preferred front-running role.
Kentucky Derby hero Mine That Bird had to make do with minor honours as Summer Bird sprung a surprise in the Belmont Stakes on Saturday. The former was a shock winner of the first leg of the American Triple Crown at Churchill Downs at the start of May, but proved that last-to-first effort to be no fluke when second to wonder filly Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness Stakes.
He was sent off hot favourite to regain the winning thread under Calvin Borel and he made his customary charge through the field to challenge on the turn for home.
Bennie Woolley’s gelding took a narrow lead at the top of the straight but he was soon in trouble and Summer Bird, a well-beaten sixth in the Kentucky Derby, swept to the front to score a decisive success under Kent Desormeaux.
Dunkirk stayed on strongly to fill the runner-up spot with Mine That Bird just behind in third.
Winning trainer Tim Ice, who has been training for little over a year, said: “I’m so excited right now and I’m glad I had Kent Desormeaux. He gave him a great ride and rode the perfect race. To win a Triple Crown race in my first year is just unbelievable. I can’t explain it.”
