Andrea Atzeni, who will ride the outsider Defoe for Roger Varian in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe , produced a perfectly judged front-running ride on Ostilio to take the Group Two Prix Daniel Wildenstein on the first afternoon of the Arc meeting here on Saturday.
French races can often turn into sprints after a sedate pace through the first half of the contest, but Atzeni set off at a fierce pace aboard Ostilio, from the Newmarket yard of Godolphin’s former racing manager, Simon Crisford.
Ostilio is a confirmed front-runner and if some of the riders aboard his pursuers assumed that Atzeni had set off too fast, it became apparent inside the final quarter-mile that the three-year-old still had plenty to give. He got home by nearly two lengths from two more British raiders, Oh This Is Us and Hey Gaman.
For Crisford, who took out a trainer’s licence in 2014 after 20 years as the public face of Godolphin, this was a first success at Group Two level.
“That’s what he does and he’s been doing it all season, which is very tough on a horse,” Atzeni said. “He’s doing it the hard way, and they’ve obviously done a great job at home.
“I’m looking forward to the Arc, but I’ve got a wide draw and let’s hope we get some more rain. It’s lovely good ground, but with the water they’ve put on, it’s also a little bit patchy.”
Brundtland gave British stables a solid start to the weekend with a half-length success in the Group Two Prix Chaudenay. As a recent winner of the Prix Niel, a major trial for the Arc, Brundtland might have lined up for tomorrow’s big race but Charlie Appleby had no regrets about opting for a lesser prize.
“I’m pleased we didn’t go for the Arc,” he said. “He’s not ready for that. Another run in a race like this was the way for him and we can build away next year.”
At Newmarket, Laurens added further polish to the form of Sea Of Class, the second-favourite for the Arc, when she edged home in front of Happily in the Group One Sun Chariot Stakes. Laurens was eight lengths behind in August and though she was not fully effective at the trip, she took the French Oaks this year and now has five Group One wins to her name.
All five have been secured by less than a length and after racing freely through the first half-mile, Laurens had just a head to spare as Happily and Donnacha O’Brien closed fast in the final strides.
Laurens could now be supplemented for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot’s Champions Day meeting on 20 October, while she also has two options at the Breeders’ Cup in early November if Ascot comes too soon.
PJ McDonald, who was aboard for her first three Group One wins before suffering a double fracture in a freak accident in September, could return to action in time to resume the partnership if Laurens goes to Kentucky next month.
“She’s a superb filly and hopefully people will give her the credit she deserves,” Karl Burke, Laurens’s trainer, said.
“I’d be quite happy to supplement for the QEII if that’s what [her owner John Dance] wants to do. She’s in the Breeders’ Cup too but let’s see how she comes out of it.”
