Camille Pissarro, co-owned by Brant, wins Prix du Jockey Club

Ridden through a narrow gap between horses near the rail, Camille Pissarro carried jockey Ryan Moore to a half-length win Sunday at Chantilly in the Group 1, US$1,702,147 Prix du Jockey Club, a roughly 1 5/16-mile turf test which serves as the France derby.

Trained by Aidan O’Brien for Coolmore and U.S. co-owner Peter Brant, post-time favorite Camille Pissarro (2-1) was a close fifth in the field of 18 3-year-olds racing in the homestretch. That was where Moore found space between fading Bowmark (12-1) along the rail and pace-setting stablemate Trinity College (24-1) to his left. After getting through, Camille Pissarro took the lead for good with 150 yards to go.

“It is incredible,” O’Brien told Agence France-Presse. “I am absolutely delighted as we were worried about the trip.”

Cualificar (11-1), owned by Godolphin and trained by André Fabre, moved forward from third to finish second. Detain (6-1), racing with Christophe Soumillon wearing Juddmonte, closed to within a length of the lead before settling for third, three-quarters of a length behind Camille Pissarro. Trinity College held on to come in fourth.

In his first race going longer than a mile, Camille Pissarro was clocked at 2:04.40 without a run-up for the 2,100 meters, 13 yards short of 1 5/16 miles. The turf course with one sweeping right turn was rated good to soft.

It was the second Prix du Jockey Club win for O’Brien, who also finished first with St Mark’s Basilica in 2021. It also was the second for Moore, who was victorious with The Grey Gatsby in 2014. Three-time winner Coolmore previously scored with Montjeu in 1999 and with St Mark’s Basilica. This was Brant’s time winning the race.

A 3-year-old Wootton Bassett colt who cost $1,585,060 at the October 2023 Tattersalls yearling sale, Camille Pissarro finished third with Soumillon riding May 11 in the one-mile Poule d’Essai des Poulains (G1), which is France’s answer to the 2,000 Guineas in England and Ireland.

“Christophe was sure he would stay, and Ryan gave him a great ride,” O’Brien said. “I am over the moon.”