Daughter of Frankel Earns Automatic Berth into $2 Million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile for Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Santa Anita Park.
Breeders’ Cup Press Relase
DEAUVILLE, France ― The Cheveley Park Stud-owned Inspiral (GB) claimed her second successive win in Sunday’s Prix du Haras de Fresnay-Le-Buffard Jacques Le Marois (G1) at Deauville Racecourse. The victory under Frankie Dettori gave her an automatic starting position and fees paid into the $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) through the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In.
The Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 80 Graded/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 Park in Arcadia, California.
Inspiral (7-1), trained by John and Thady Gosden, bounced back to winning ways just 11 days after running in unsuitable conditions at the Qatar Goodwood Festival. Drawn in stall one, the 4-year-old daughter of Frankel (GB) was given a fine ride by regular jockey Dettori, who settled his mount toward the rear of the field while Yeguada Centurion’s 2-1favorite Big Rock (FR) set the pace. Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum’s Triple Time (IRE) maintained a prominent position as the field moved past the halfway marker, as did last year’s runner-up Light Infantry (GB) 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 ¼ lengths over Big Rock, with Light Infantrya length behind in third. Onesto (IRE), 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 FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile when winning the June 20 Queen Anne Stakes (G1) 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 today’s triumph, including the last four renewals. Dettori and John Gosden combined to win the 2020 Prix Jacques Le Marois with Palace Pier (GB), while 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 [Qatar] Sussex [Stakes] 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.”
As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders’ Cup will pay the entry fees for Inspiral to start in the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita. Breeders’ Cup will also provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships.
