3 minute read
Aidan O’Brien’s memorable weekend in Paris continued when Camille Pissarro picked up strongly to deny the Brian Meehan-trained Rashabar in the Group 1 Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp.
Under a patient Christophe Soumillon ride, the son of Wootton Bassett began to pick up ground down the outside, and although Rashabar battled on strongly for the Brian Meehan, he would find Aidan O'Brien's second-string a neck too strong crossing the line.
The front-running Misunderstood fared nest of the French contenders, clinging on for the bronze medal spot for Mario Baratti and Alexis Pouchin.
It was a first success for Camille Pissarro since winning on debut at Navan back in April and a return to winning ways after the Ballydoyle juvenile was edged out by Godolphin's Hallsan in a valuable sales race at Doncaster last month.
O'Brien said: "He's a very good workhorse this horse, we always thought the world of him, we probably haven't been riding him right – he's a fast horse and he quickens well.
"I thought he was a bit physically weak, but he showed today that he was all speed. He will be a better horse next year, a Guineas horse with speed to sprint but will get a mile, Christophe gave him a super ride."
"He's been busy, but in all fairness to him, he kept standing up to it. We produced him very late, that's probably the key, let him go to sleep.
"He is a big horse; he's probably getting better and stronger. We always thought the world of him, but I did such a bad job training him – what a mess I made!"
On the run of 13/10 market leader Henri Matisse, O'Brien added: "Henri Matisse got a bump early which didn't help, he is "still a baby, both physically and mentally."
Despite an illustrious CV, it was a first triumph in the Group 1 contest fort the Belgium-born rider Christophe Soumillon, who added: "It's a great honour to ride for the current best trainer in the world, it doesn't matter if he's got one, two or four horses, you always have a chance to win the race.
"Today I knew with the stall I was coming out of that I had to wait at the back, in the straight he responded straight away and went to the front."
On the performance of the runner-up, Meehan commented: "The ground was not ideal Sean (Levey) said, he said if it comes up softer ground in future, we can always take our chance, but it just definitely stunted a little bit of his speed and pick-up.
"It was a fabulous run, and he is a Guineas horse for next year. That will be him for the year now and we will wait for a Guineas trial next year and then go on from there.
"The Breeders' Cup was always on the cards, but this was an important race for him today and I just feel he's done enough.
"He does (belong in Group 1 company), I just feel like I've let him down a little bit as in both races he has been second – maybe I've got to step my game up next year.
"He's one of the nicest horses I've trained – he's so easy to train and deal with, he's easy to read and he has the temperament and mind for it.
"We'll go for a trial (next year) and then maybe Newmarket or here (for a Guineas)."
