Blue Rose Cen beat Never Ending Story, Tasmania and Wise Girl to win the Group One Prix de Diane at Chantilly on Sunday; Christopher Head's filly wins second Classic under Aurelien Lemaitre after success in the French 1000 Guineas
Sunday 18 June 2023 16:30, UK
Blue Rose Cen stormed to her second Classic of the year when landing the Prix de Diane Longines in imperious fashion at Chantilly.
Christopher Head's stable star had already taken the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches in impressive style at ParisLongchamp last month and having conquered all before her at a mile, was even better on her first attempt at 10 furlongs.
With stablemate Wise Girl setting the fractions on the front end, big-race pilot Aurelien Lemaitre had the daughter of Churchill positioned handily tracking the pace along with French Guineas runner-up Lindy and the previously unbeaten Pensee Du Jour.
However, there was only one winner once the contest entered the business end and upon straightening for home, Lemaitre pushed the button to an almost instantaneous response from his mount, shooting clear of her pursuers and keeping on powerfully to register a clear-cut triumph.
Aidan O'Brien's Never Ending Story picked up the silver medal with Francis-Henri Graffard's Tasmania keeping on for third, but the day belonged to Blue Rose Cen who was handed a quote of 12/1 by Coral to tackle an extra two furlongs in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in October.
She also becomes the first filly since Jean-Claude Rouget's La Cressonniere in 2016 to do the French Guineas/Oaks double and she now joins the likes of Zarkava, Divine Proportions and Allez France to win all three of the Prix Marcel Boussac, Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and Prix de Diane.
Head told Sky Sports Racing: "It's a very good day and it's been a very good season.
"Blue Rose Cen is just incredible and has been the best filly I've ever trained. She's just brilliant and has changed my life."
Asked if she could develop into a contender for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, for which she is now 10/1 with Sky Bet, Head said: "It's a bit early to talk about this. We'll need to see how she comes out of this race and then we'll make a plan."
