Camille Pissarro (striped cap) beats Rashabar (spotted cap) © Photo Healy Racing
Camille Pissarro swooped late to grab glory in the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at ParisLongchamp.
Trained by Aidan O’Brien, the colt benefitted from a vintage Christophe Soumillon ride as he recorded a first Group One success in the seven-furlong contest.
Soumillon exercised plenty of patience in the early stages before allowing his mount to coast into contention in the straight.
Rashabar put up a tremendous bid for Brian Meehan, but Camille Pissarro – who was well down the field when Rashabar won the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot – just edged the verdict in the shadow of the post, with the front-running Misunderstood clinging on for third.
O’Brien said: “He’s a very good work horse 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.
“We always thought he’d be better next year. He’s a big horse and looking at him there he’s a Guineas horse that could go sprinting. 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!”
Soumillon, for whom the success was a first in the race, 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.”
Of Rashabar – who was unfortunate not to win the Prix Morny on his previous visit to France – Meehan said: “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 One company), I just feel like I’ve let him down a little bit as 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).”
Henri Matisse was sent off the 13-10 favourite under Ryan Moore, but had to settle for fifth place.
O’Brien said: “He got a bad bump early, we put the blinkers on him because he was very timid and immature. I’d say that would have shocked him, as soon as I saw it happen I thought we were in trouble.
“That’s why I had the blinkers on him, don’t lose the faith.”
