Review Of Sunday’s Prix Jacques Le Marois: Alpha Centauri Proves Far Too Good For Her Rivals In Deauville Group 1
By Harry DeCosemo, Sports Reporter
August 13, 2018
Sunday’s Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques Le Marois at Deauville produced just about the strongest field of milers seen so far this season. The Group 1 contest attracted eleven runners headed by the outstanding Irish-trained filly Alpha Centauri who was attempting to win her fourth successive race of the season at the highest level following impressive victories at the Curragh, Royal Ascot and Newmarket.
The one big doubt surrounding the Jessica Harrington-trained three-year-old concerned the soft ground in France as the daughter of Mastercraftsman had looked vulnerable in the past when faced with cut in the ground. But those fears were soon put to bed as the mount of Colm O’Donoghue moved smoothly into the lead from long-time leader With You inside the final two furlongs, from which point the result was a foregone conclusion.
While Alpha Centauri is at her best on fast ground the fact that she proved so much better than her ten rivals under far from ideal conditions must elevate the filly towards the top of the best milers seen in recent years and it is hard anticipating anything ending her winning run during the rest of the season, particularly in a year where the three-year-old colts and older horses look far from a vintage crop over the mile trip.
The Olivier Peslier-ridden Recoletos showed his disappointing run in Royal Ascot’s Queen Anne Stakes to be all wrong, comprehensively turning the tables on the winner there Accidental Agent, by finishing a clear second best behind the Irish filly albeit at a respectful distance and a big prize awaits the four-year-old, as long as a certain Alpha Centauri does not turn up. Sent off the 10-11 market leader the grey filly is expected to end the season with a trip to America for the Breeders’ Cup Mile for which she is a top price 5-2 with Coral.
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