Prix de l’Abbaye: The Platinum Queen and Hollie Doyle strike in Paris to bring Middleham Park group to their knees | Racing News

Hollie Doyle and The Platinum Queen brought a number of the horse’s owners to their knees in wild celebration after landing the Group One Prix de l’Abbaye at ParisLongchamp on Sunday.

Second only to Highfield Princess in the Nunthorpe at York, Richard Fahey and owners Middleham Park Racing once again decided to take advantage of the huge weight allowance offered to her as a two-year-old filly.

Hollie Doyle did not blast straight into the lead, but after two furlongs The Platinum Queen was in front.

There were plenty closing in on them as the line approached, with Frankie Dettori leading a small pack of three on the near-side rail on Ponttos.

It was Karl Burke’s White Lavender who got closest, with Coeur De Pierre third on Adrian Nicholls’ Mo Celita in fourth, as The Platinum Queen became the first juvenile to win the race since Sigy in 1978.

Doyle said: « It’s brilliant and great for the owners, who have horses all over the country at home.

« She’s a very quick filly and to win a Group One on Arc day is brilliant. It’s actually my first winner at Longchamp, so it’s great to get that.

« Obviously I just got caught on Nashwa in the race before. Those are the ups and downs, I suppose. »

Tom Palin of Middleham Park Racing said: « It was never in doubt really, it was brilliant.

« I thought it was a pretty dominant performance really. Hollie said she idled a little bit in the last 100 yards, but she did it well.

« It was a ‘win and you’re in’ for the Breeders’ Cup and being a tight northerner, that’s great as it means we don’t need to pay the entry fee!

« I think the next 24 hours could be a bit ropey with all the celebrating, but as long as the filly comes out of it all right, then I think we’ll look forward to going to America with her. »

Doyle and Nashwa denied by 66/1 outsider in Prix de l’Opera

It was not to be for Doyle on her Classic-winning star Nashwa in the Prix de l’Opera as 66/1 shot Place Du Carrousel caused a huge upset.

It was nearly the perfect front-running ride from Doyle, who took the lead and set a sensible tempo in the very deep ground before kicking clear.

It appeared she had stolen enough ground to hold on but just as John and Thady Gosden’s filly began to get tired, Andre Fabre’s winner – not seen since finishing a long way behind Nashwa in the Prix de Diane – began to sprout wings.

Mickael Barzalona timed it just right to claim a second winner on the card after also causing a shock in the opening Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on Belbek.

With Aidan O’Brien’s pre-race favourite The Antarctic pulled out on the morning of the race after being found to be lame, the contest looked to be up for grabs for fellow Irish contender Shartash, from the Johnny Murtagh team.

But, Ben Coen struggled to get the 15/8 favourite going in the rain-sodden ground, finishing fourth.

Barzalona, winning the race for a fourth time, made his move aboard Belbek inside the final furlong and out-stayed Gamestop, who had hit the front 200 yards from the winning post. Breizh Sky finished off well in third.

The winner is automatically qualified for the Breeders’ Cup next month but Fabre indicated his preference for the Vertem Futurity at Doncaster, live on Sky Sports Racing on October 22.

Frankie Dettori was also among the winners on Arc day as he steered Kinross (11/8 favourite) to victory in the Group One Qatar Prix de la Foret.

Fourth in the race 12 months ago, Ralph Beckett’s five-year-old arrived in the rudest of health, having won Group Twos at York and Doncaster on his last two starts.

Back up to the highest level, Dettori was trapped wide through the early stages but the veteran Italian knew what he had underneath him and was happy to take his medicine.

He tracked Fang into the closing stages before being sending Kinross to win the race and the gelding quickened up impressively. Malavath chased him home at a respectable distance but Kinross was in a different league.

Blue Rose Cen (9/2) seemed to relish the soft ground as she sprinted clear along the far rail to win the Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac by five lengths under jockey Aurelien Lemaitre.

Two Irish challengers chased her home, with Jim Bolger’s Gan Teorainn finishing second ahead of Aidan O’Brien’s Never Ending Story.