By Tom Frary
It was Francis-Henri Graffard celebrating after Sunday's G1 Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac which opened ParisLongchamp's Arc card, but not with the filly widely expected as Gemini Stud and Argella Racing's Vertical Blue (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}–Krunch {GB}, by Sea The Stars {Ire}) denied her much-vaunted stablemate Zarigana (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) in a pulsating finish. Last seen finishing second in Lyon-Parilly's Listed Criterium de Lyon over this mile trip last month, the 32-1 shot was settled in mid-pack early enjoying crucial cover as Ballydoyle's Exactly (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) cut out the running.
Staying on dourly up the straight as the leader refused to relent, the bargain €50,000 Arqana Deauville August graduate looked likely to come off second-best in the pursuit as Zarigana edged ahead inside the final furlong. As that 1-2 favourite got to Exactly 50 metres from the line, Vertical Blue forged between them in the dying strides to win by inches. Favoured by the bob of heads having been second just before the line and after, the winner was probably the slightly stronger stayer of the Graffard pair on the turf turning ever softer by the consistent Parisian rain.
Big upset! 100/1 Vertical Blue nabs the Group 1 Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac – Criterium des Pouliches from Zarigana at @paris_longchamp… #WinAndYoureIn @GraffardRacing @pouchinalexis pic.twitter.com/MKb0OPgg95
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 6, 2024
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
