Trainer Andre Fabre has confirmed that Sosie (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) is set to continue his racing career in 2025 following his fourth-place finish in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp, with the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot being identified as a likely destination next summer.
The three-year-old Sosie was beaten around four lengths behind Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}) on Sunday as he attempted to complete a big-race hat-trick following victories in the G1 Grand Prix de Paris and G2 Prix Niel over the same course and distance.
The Wertheimer homebred would have benefited from a sounder surface according to Fabre, who also saddled Sevenna's Knight (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) and Mqse De Sevigne (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) to finish fifth and fourteenth, respectively.
“All three are fine after the race,” the trainer summed up. “It was probably the ground which stopped Sosie. He lost his action at the end but he ran okay. We knew he might not like the ground. He will stay in training as a four-year-old and we'll concentrate on the big summer races such as the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and the King George.
“Sevenna's Knight ran a good race, but I wasn't surprised because he likes soft ground. He was out the back but ran really well to get where he did. It was what I was expecting–he's a good horse. He is in the Prix Royal-Oak and if he's okay he will run. He'll be happier over that trip–we know he stays it well.”
He added, “Mqse De Sevigne's race was over at the start. She was drawn widest of all and lost too much ground. The race was over even before she was hampered. Both her and Continuous were at the back and as the pace was slow they had no chance.”
Far East beckons for Fantastic Moon
Last year's Deutsches Derby hero Fantastic Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) was also confined to a minor role at Longchamp, with further rain on the morning of the race going against him.
Connections had been keen to withdraw their charge due to the testing conditions, but the decision to go ahead and run was made when they were informed that it would cost €55,000 to take him out of the race.
“We discussed for a long time if it was right to run him with the rain and we decided after a half an hour that we would not run,” said Lars-Wilhelm Baumgarten, the co-founder of the colt's ownership syndicate, Liberty Racing. “I told the press and Sarah went to the stewards, but we didn't have in mind that it cost €55,000 to come out of the race.
“It was a 50-50 decision and when Sarah came back from the stewards, we were a little confused, but then Rene [Piechulek, jockey] said 'no, we will run'. It wasn't because of the money, it was a sign for us to say 'okay, we will run'. We decided not to sell him for three million, so it was not about money. Sometimes in life you need a small sign. It was my mistake to confuse the world–forgive me for that!”
Fantastic Moon went on to finish ninth behind Bluestocking and options in Japan and Hong Kong will now be considered for the four-year-old who had previously doubled his top-level tally with victory in September's Grosser Preis von Baden.
“He's come out of the race very well,” Baumgarten added. “It was not the best ground for him and that was not his A-game, but we had in our minds that perhaps there would be a miracle–that didn't happen. The important thing is he is fit and well and he will run in six weeks in Japan or Hong Kong, perhaps both, but we will not go to the Breeders' Cup.”
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
