Olivier Peslier

Fresh from a comfortable victory in ParisLongchamp's May 13 Prix d'Hedouville, last term's G1 Deutsches Derby hero and G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe runner-up In Swoop (Ire) (Adlerflug {Ger}) was obliged to work somewhat harder for success in Sunday's G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly. Gestut Schlenderhan's 4-year-old, who also ran second in September's rescheduled G1 Grand Prix de Paris, was settled off a sedate tempo in fifth--with just the slow-starting Nagano Gold (GB) (Sixties Icon {GB}) in arrears--past halfway in this 12-furlong test. Tanking forward to take closer order...

George Strawbridge's Suesa (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) had registered wins for the Georgina Cabrero-Carlos Laffon-Parias axis in an Oct. 13 debutantes' heat going six furlongs at Chantilly before doubling up over 5 1/2 furlongs back there in the Nov. 10 Listed Prix Yacowlef. She maintained her perfect record when snagging last month's G3 Prix Sigy for new connections, with subsequent G3 Prix de Saint-Georges victrix Ideal Beauty (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) in arrears, and continued the winning trend in taking fashion by turning Monday's G3 Prix Texanita, her fourth...

Building on a return second in the 12-furlong Listed Prix Lord Seymour at ParisLongchamp Apr. 18, last year's G1 Deutsches Derby hero and Arc runner-up In Swoop (Ire) (Adlerflug {Ger}) returned to the same course and distance to get back to winning ways in the G3 Prix d'Hedouville on Thursday. Settled in a share of third early by Olivier Peslier, the 1-2 favourite was wound up to take control with 300 metres remaining and score by a comfortable 1 1/4-length margin from The Good Man (Fr) (Manduro {Ger}). "He is...

Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), best known for his staying heroics, will have Olivier Peslier aboard in the Oct. 4 G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. A MG1SW stayer, the John Gosden trainee normally partners with Frankie Dettori, but with that rider booked for a chance at immortality with two-time Arc heroine and stablemate Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), another jockey had to be found. Originally under consideration was Andrea Atzeni, who has found success with the chestnut in two editions of the G1 Goodwood Cup, but his obligations...

Olivier Peslier has picked up the mount on Romanised (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) in Sunday's G1 Prix du Moulin at ParisLongchamp, with regular rider Billy Lee set to stay in Ireland to avoid a two-week quarantine that would see him sit out Irish Champions Weekend. Dual Group 1 winner Romanised was second in this race last season. He won the G2 Minstrel S. on his 5-year-old debut in July before settling for fifth over heavy ground in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois on Aug. 16. "Romanised is heading...

by Alan Carasso The three-day HH The Amir Festival comes to a conclusion with the marquee race of the meeting, the US$1-million HH The Amir Trophy, a race which has attracted last year's top-three placegetters, a local legend looking for a third win in the event, an intriguing American import and some of the world's top jockeys. The locally owned French King (GB) (French Fifteen {Fr}) defeated Royal Julius (Ire) (Royal Applause {GB}) and the well-traveled Hunting Horn (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) with relative ease 12 months ago and proved the...