Mqse De Sevigne beats Horizon Dore by a short-head in the Group 1 Prix d’Ispahan. (Breandán Ó hUallacháin)
By Breandán Ó hUallacháin
The French master trainer Andre Fabre produced Mqse De Sevigne to win the Prix d’Ispahan at ParisLongchamp.
The win in the second Group 1 of the season for older horses in France was a third success at the highest level for the daughter of Aga Khan Studs’ stallion Siyouni, who runs in the ownership of Baron Edouard De Rothschild.
The five-year-old mare produced her now trademark burst of speed in the closing stages of the 1,850-metre race (one mile, one and a quarter furlongs) at the Parisian racetrack.
A winner of her seasonal return this year in the Listed Prix Jacques Laffitte over one mile and one furlong also at ParisLongchamp, this time she denied Horizon Dore – who is without a win in the last six starts – by a short-head in a tight finish, with April’s Group 1 Prix Ganay winner Haya Zark next best in third, three-quarters of a length behind the runner-up.
Mqse De Sevigne was twice a Group 1 winner at Deauville last summer. She won the Prix Rothschild for three-year-old fillies and mares on 30 July, before following up with success in the Prix Jean Romanet for fillies and mares on 20 August. She ended last season with a runner-up spot behind Inspiral in the Group 1 Sun Chariot Stakes for fillies and mares at Newmarket, England, on British Champions Day.
The Alexis Pouchin-ridden Mqse De Sevigne was prominent in the early stages of the Prix d’Ispahan and was positioned in mid-division at the halfway stage of the Group 1 contest.
The favourite was asked for an effort two furlongs from the wire and continued to make progress inside the eighth pole before heading Horizon Dore in the final strides of a thrilling finish.
Speaking to Sky Sports Racing after a third Group 1 victory for the Irish-bred Mqse De Sevigne, Andre Fabre, said:
“She showed ability, and she quickened well. I think she has a new balance now as a five-year-old; she is stronger and easier to train, so we still have a bright future with her.”
The major disappointment of the race was Blue Rose Cen. The filly won the French 1000 Guineas, Prix de Diane (French Oaks) and Prix de l’Opéra in an incredible 2023 season.
Strangely she was removed from the barn of Christopher Head, by her owner, during the winter and placed in the care of relatively unknown handler – especially outside of France – Maurizio Guarnieri. This time Blue Rose Cen could only manage a fifth-place finish, a total of two and a quarter lengths behind the winner.
All the major European middle-distance races are open to the now six-time career race winner Mqse De Sevigne, with her ultimate season aim likely to be the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamps on Sunday, 6 October.
The Prix d’Ispahan, has been previously won by top-class milers such as Goldikova and Persian King, and by middle distance starts like Cirrus Des Aigles and A Shin Hikari.
For top handler Andre Fabre, Mgse de Sevigne was a 10th success in the race, having first won with Al Nasr in 1982, and most recently prior to this season, with Persian King in 2020.
