France roundup: Aventure wins Vermeille, is co-favorite for Arc

France champion Aventure confirmed her position Sunday as a top contender for next month’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) by winning the Group 1 Prix Vermeille at ParisLongchamp.

Aventure, a 4-year-old Sea the Stars filly, shares favoritism for the Arc with the Frankel filly Minnie Hauk, a 3-year-old Frankel filly who won last month’s Yorkshire Oaks (G1). Each is listed at 4-1 by Europe bookmakers taking action for the 1 1/2-mile Arc for non-geldings Oct. 5.

For Aventure, as surprising as it may seem, this was only her first Group 1 win after some close losses and immense show of class. Last year in both the Vermeille and the Arc she was runner-up to England filly Bluestocking.

Aventure claimed Sunday’s race without breaking a sweat. Held up by her jockey Maxime Guyon, she calmly attacked the leaders including Ireland favorite Whirl and France-based Ginalyah. Without the slightest urging, she gradually drew clear, winning with remarkable ease.

Farther back, Prix de Diane (G1) winner Gezora ran an excellent second in Sunday’s 1 1/2-mile race for fillies and mares. She was ridden sensibly given that she was making her first appearance since the Diana triumph June 15.

In the final strides, Bedtime Story snatched third place on the line from Survie, who had raced forward throughout.

Sahian wins Moulin on Graffard’s big day

Only 25 minutes after Goliath captured the Grosser Preis von Baden (G1) in Germany, trainer Francis Graffard won again with Sahian capturing the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp (G1), a one-mile race for 3-year-olds and up.

Sahian’s victory in the Moulin was decided by the narrowest of margins. The 3-year-old Wootton Bassett colt seized what looked like a decisive advantage over The Lion In Winter, who had taken control from front-runner Alcantor. But Sahlan was challenged late by Great Britain colt Rosallion, who finished with a storming run but fell just a short head shy of victory.

Ireland favorite Henri Matisse finished fifth.

The decisive moment came in the final dash. On one side Sahlan quickly straightened and balanced himself, ready to unleash his turn of foot immediately. On the other side Rosallion shifted slightly outward as he quickened, drifting left before finding his stride in the right rhythm. Those few lost meters would prove irretrievable.

Cualificar rallies for Niel triumph

Cualificar was tipped outside by jockey William Buick to complete his rally to victory in the Prix Niel (G2), a 1 1/2-mile test for 3-year-olds.

Trapped against the rail, in the homestretch, Godolphin’s Lope De Vega colt he was unable to find room between the pace-setter Tennessee Stud and his outside rival, Nitoi. Meanwhile, Bay City Roller found his stride down the center of the track, having initially seemed outpaced. At that moment it looked as though André Fabre-trained Cualificar might suffer the same fate as other young champions before him, a defeat in the Niel with excuses before taking his chance in the Arc.

But that was without reckoning on the nerves of steel of Buick. Confident in his mount’s blistering turn of foot, he chose to swing wide, bypassing Tennessee Stud, Nitoi and Bay City Roller in one swoop. Cualificar clawed back ground meter by meter on a Bay City Roller, who looked destined for glory. But Cualificar finally prevailed by just a short neck, although the margin surely would have been greater with a smoother trip.

Japan’s Byzantine Dream captures Foy

He was not necessarily the one most in the spotlight at the start of the 1 1/2-mile Prix Foy (G2) for older horses. But Japan shipper Byzantine Dream, trained by Tomoyasu Sakaguchi, stylishly defeated the France-based Sosie runner Sosie, himself a strong contender for the Arc.

During the race, Mont St Michel set a strong pace as though he were acting as pacemaker for Aidan O’Brien stablemate Los Angeles, who took his slipstream to lead the pack. Almaqam, Sosie and Arrow Eagle were well placed. Byzantine Dream, a 4-year-old Epiphaneia colt, was kept to the rear alongside France horse Iresine.

Down the stretch Los Angeles moved up, closely tracked by Sosie, himself shadowed by Byzantine Dream. It became a relay race. Sosie first took the lead from Los Angeles only to be overhauled close home by Byzantine Dream, who prevailed without a single flick of the crop.

Always in the thick of things but slightly wider in a race decided on the inside rail, Almaqam snatched third ahead of brave Los Angeles.