Gezora edged out Bedtime Story to win the Prix de Diane Longines at Chantilly, with Shes Good unable to realize Traditional compensation after controversially shedding the French 1000 Guineas within the stewards’ room.
Educated by Francis-Henri Graffard and ridden by Christophe Soumillon, Gezora raced within the pack by the 10-furlong contest earlier than switched out to launch her problem with round a furlong and a half to run.
She stored discovering for stress all the best way to the road, having sufficient in reserve to carry off the Aidan O’Brien-trained Bedtime Story, who solely narrowly failed to come back from final to first beneath Ryan Moore.
The Charlie Fellowes-trained Shes Good turned for residence and momentarily regarded she would once more be concerned on the enterprise finish, however whereas she was in entrance with two furlongs to run, she had raced keenly in second and was in the end eased by Kieran Shoemark when her probability had gone.
Gezora was overwhelmed by stablemate Mandanaba on her preliminary begin in April, however the Almanzor filly landed the Prix Saint-Alary final time – a efficiency which gave Graffard loads of confidence.
He stated: “She ran a nice race at Longchamp, she showed something new to me. She’s improving all time and I saw after the race she really improved again, she was so happy, so confident in herself.”
Bookmaker response was constructive to a Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe bid, with Coral introducing Gezora at 14-1, and Graffard added: “It’s great to have the Arc ‘win and you’re in races’ and we know she loves the soft ground and we close no doors.”
Soumillon praised the winner’s coronary heart for a battle, saying: “When they started to quicken in the straight I was following them really easily, I knew she’d be able to change gear and that’s exactly what she did. The pace was on and she was ready to react at the right time.
“I noticed Ryan approaching my outdoors and thought ‘right here comes Aidan once more!’, however she had a fantastic coronary heart and we gained it.”
Asked about the Arc, the rider said: “She will do a mile and a half, I feel, we’ll see what she will be able to do within the Vermeille. We all know she likes delicate floor and the shape from the Prix de Conde (final 12 months) was nice, the winner (Lazy Griff) was second within the Derby at Epsom and right here (she is) the winner of the Prix de Diane, so generally you by no means know.”
For owner Peter Brant, the victory in his White Birch Farm colours was the realisation of a long-held ambition to win the French fillies’ Classic.
Brant purchased Gezora after she won two of her four juvenile starts and was thrilled to see her better Sistercharlie, who was beaten just a length in the 2017 renewal before going on to a stellar American career.
He said: “I feel it is in all probability one of many three or 4 races I’ve dreamt of profitable. I feel it is the best three-year-old filly race – it is at all times stiff competitors.
“We were second with Sistercharlie, a great filly who won seven Grade Ones and she couldn’t even win this race because she got into trouble. It’s a very difficult race to predict.”
