Sunday 23 August 2015 17:57, UK
Karl Burke captured the second Group One of his training career as Odeliz made all to win the Darley Prix Jean Romanet under Adrie De Vries.
The veteran Dutch-born and German-based jockey set slow fractions from the front, with the majority of the jockeys seemingly wary to ask for too much too soon in the testing conditions.
British hopes Madame Chiang and Ribbons, bidding to win the race for the second year running for James Fanshawe, were both ridden relatively close to the pace, but both faded quickly at an early stage in the home straight as Bawina emerged to challenge the leader.
Avenir Certain was the only runner to throw down a challenge from the main pack, but neither she nor Bawina could ever get quite on top of the winner who scored at odds of 25/1 with British bookmakers and 35/1 on the local Pari-Mutuel.
Odeliz, the winner of a Group Three at Hamburg in June, had finished fourth behind Amazing Maria (Bawina third) in the Prix Rothschild on her only subsequent appearance, but was taking a notable step up on that form.
"I've always thought she could win one of these (Group Ones) if everything dropped right one day but it has dropped right in the strangest circumstances as it wasn't the plan to make the running," said Burke.
"Adrie said he would just sit handy but she broke well and nobody wanted to make it so he just let her doss away in front.
"Turning in I thought she had a chance of being in the three but she battled and battled and hung on.
"This is her trip (10 furlongs), she won a Listed race over it at three but as she got older she got quicker.
"The cheekpieces have brought a bit of improvement out of her over a mile so I was keen to see if they would over this trip and it appears they have.
"Adrie won the Group Three in Germany on her, I've known him for a few years now and his son did work experience with us. I imagine he'll be on her wherever she goes now.
"Canada (E.P. Taylor Stakes) was the original plan as she was just touched off in it last year but she'll be entered in the Prix de l'Opera and at Ascot on Champions Day now, too. All options are open."
With Shalaa having earlier taken the Prix Morny for John Gosden, British trainers were denied a clean sweep of the major races when Mark Johnston's Oriental Fox was worn down close home by Alex My Boy in the Darley Prix Kergorlay.
Ironically, Johnston is the former trainer of the winner, before he was moved to Germany to be handled by Andreas Wohler.
The eventual winner was a long way adrift and under pressure turning into the straight but found another gear close home to prevail.
