French Racing - Review of Prix Vermeille

Sweet Lady recorded a sixth career victory from fourteen lifetime starts when narrowly hanging on to win the 2022 G1 Qatar Prix Vermeille (2400m).

The high quality eleven runner field broke well from the starting stalls apart from Love Child who was a couple of lengths behind in the early strides. Eventual winner Sweet Lady went straight to the front setting a slow pace in the first 500m to bunch the field with eight lengths covering the group. This allowed Love Child to catch up and join the leading line with Lilac Road on the rail making up the first three. 

Gradually the tempo did increase down the back straight with Gregory Benoist aboard the winner travelling nicely out in front on the running rail leading the field into the false straight. Runners remained well packed together continuing with only eight lengths between first and last.

Turning for home Albaflora was the first under pressure but as the field passed the 500m marker, the Francis-Henri Graffard trained filly gradually wound up the speed further, going through the gears maintaining the front running position while multiple challengers came from Lilac Road, Baiykara, Agave and Tuesday with 300m to travel. However, the daughter of Lope de Vega stuck her head down and showed a determined attitude in the closing stages fending off rivals and seeing out the journey strongest for a narrow head victory to land the 2022 G1 Qatar Prix Vermeille (2400m).

Lilac Road was a close second ahead of the fast finishing La Parisienne third. Classic Winning filly, Tuesday was a further length and a quarter away in fourth.

The big race on Sunday 2 October, the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (2400m) is likely to be the winner's next target.