Emotions boil over after Zarigana is awarded French 1000 Guineas
Paris, Undefined (AFP) —Emotions ran high after Zarigana was awarded the French 1000 Guineas following a stewards’ enquiry that lasted over 10 minutes at Longchamp on Sunday.
Some of the English syndicate that owns the horse who crossed the line first, She’s Perfect, chanted “cheat cheat” minutes after they had celebrated exuberantly in the winners’ enclosure.
Another member repeated “it’s a joke” as Princess Zahra Aga Khan, representing winning owners Aga Khan Studs, was interviewed.
She’s Perfect’s trainer Charlie Fellowes, who had tears in his eyes when he thought he had won his first Group One race after 12 years in the job, gave a rueful shake of his head.
It rounded off a terrible week for jockey Kieran Shoemark, whose ride on English 2000 Guineas runner-up
Field of Gold was heavily criticised by trainer John Gosden.
She’s Perfect was penalised for coming across the track and interfering with Exactly who then disturbed Mickael Barzalona on Zarigana.
It was a poignant moment for Princess Zahra, three months after the death of her father the Aga Khan.
“It is not the way you want to win a race,” said Zarigana’s trainer Francis Graffard.
Earlier, Aidan O’Brien bounced back from an unrewarding English Guineas weekend by taking the French 2000 Guineas with the impressive Henri Matisse, ridden by Ryan Moore.
“There are days when things do not go for you and that was the case last weekend,” said the 55-year-old Irishman, winning the race for a sixth time.
“Things need to always fall in your favour in every race so when it happens we really appreciate it.”
Henri Matisse is likely to go to Royal Ascot.
A crowd of 18,000 was expected to attend — though many were late arrivals as they were drawn to Longchamp for a post-race concert.
Among those appearing and the biggest drawcard was French pop superstar Aya Nakamura, a performer at last year’s Olympic Games opening ceremony in Paris.
There was an appropriately musical angle to the first winner, English sprinter Mgheera, part-owned by composer Andrew Lloyd-Webber, who won the Prix de Saint-Georges.
The Guineas day kicks off a series of big race days at Longchamp, ahead of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, run this year on October 5.
Eight ‘Arc Races’ will be run through the season, including the French Derby and Oaks, as well as the Arc trials day on September 7 when winners qualify automatically for Europe’s most prestigious race.
Last year’s winner Bluestocking has been supplemented.
