Mqse De Sevigne © Photo Healy Racing
Mqse De Sevigne completed her Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe preparations as she came from last to first to maintain her unbeaten record for the season in the Sumbe Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville.
Andre Fabre’s talented mare won the Prix Rothschild and the Romanet last summer and was long odds-on to repeat the double in the hands of Alexis Pouchin.
After being settled at the rear of the five-strong field for much of the 10-furlong contest, the five-year-old was produced to challenge in the straight and knuckled down well to claim victory by a head, with her rider keen to ensure she did not have a hard time of things.
Joseph O’Brien saddled the second and third in American Sonja and Maxux, with Blue Rose Cen running her best race of the season so far in a close-up fourth.
Following her victory 12 months ago, Mqse De Sevigne dropped back to a mile in the Sun Chariot at Newmarket, finishing second to Inspiral, but this season she is set to step up to a mile and a half for the first time in a bid to provide her trainer with a record-extending ninth victory in the Arc.
Coral eased her odds to 33-1 from 20-1 for Europe’s premier middle-distance contest, but Fabre is nevertheless looking forward to seeing her line up at ParisLongchamp in early October.
“She’s a great mare, she is beautiful and has all that you can expect from a well-bred thoroughbred,” the master trainer told Sky Sports Racing.
“Keep in mind that she wins all her races by a nose or a short head. That (Arc) was the plan and it will stay that way – we will go straight for the Arc.”
Winning owner Edouard de Rothschild said: “They went very slowly. It proved to be an excellent showing and we’re very happy. Mqse De Sevigne has gained added experience and she’s proving more relaxed in her races, she now expends less energy.
“We don’t really harbour any doubts about her staying the 2400 metres trip of the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.”
Pouchin added: “Mqse De Sevigne is the mare of a lifetime. She’s incredible and rises to the occasion in all of her races. She was travelling easily when quickening into the lead. As she tends to idle once in front, this allowed her rivals to come back at her, but the job was already done at the time. She showed a touch of class.”
