Inspiral earns Breeders' Cup berth with win in France

Inspiral claimed her second successive win in Sunday’s Group 1 Prix Jacques Le Marois at Deauville Racecourse. The victory under Frankie Dettori gave her an automatic starting position and fees paid into the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile through the Breeders’ Cup challenge series.

Inspiral (7-1), trained by John and Thady Gosden and owned by Cheveley Park Stud, bounced back to winning ways just 11 days after running in unsuitable conditions at the Goodwood Festival. Drawn in stall 1, the 4-year-old daughter of Frankel was given a fine ride by regular jockey Dettori, who settled his mount toward the rear of the field while Yeguada Centurion’s 2-1 favorite Big Rock set the pace. Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum’s Triple Time maintained a prominent position as the field moved past the halfway marker, as did last year’s runner-up Light Infantry under Jamie Spencer.

Inspiral quickened impressively as Dettori tracked Triple Time to cross to the far side of the course. Readily picking up the favorite in the closing stages, she ran on boldly to win by 1 1/4 lengths over Big Rock, with Light Infantry a length behind in third. Onesto, a 26-1 outsider, finished fourth, followed by Queen Anne Stakes (G1) winner Triple Time in fifth. Triple Time gained a free berth into the Breeders’ Cup Mile when winning the June 20 Queen Anne at Royal Ascot.

Inspiral completed the mile in 1:36.62 over a course listed as good to soft.

Dettori extended his record as the leading Prix Jacques Le Marois rider with eight wins after Sunday's triumph, including the last four renewals. Dettori and John Gosden combined to win the 2020 Prix Jacques Le Marois with Palace Pier, and John and Thady Gosden trained Palace Pier to victory in 2021 with Dettori also in the saddle.

Cheveley Park director Richard Thompson said: "It was a brave, brave call. She ran in the Sussex 11 days ago and, although she didn't have much of a race, to come back and win this again is absolutely fantastic. What a day.

"She's a proper individual and she's had some difficult days on the racecourse but she's had great ones too. She's so talented and when it goes for her, as it did here, she's just in a different league."

The Breeders’ Cup challenge series is an international series of 80 graded or group stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, scheduled to be held Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita.

As part of the benefits of the challenge series, Breeders’ Cup will pay the entry fees for Inspiral to start in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita. Breeders’ Cup also will provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the world championships.