Vega lands French Derby

Racing: Lope De Vega romped away with the Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) at Chantilly to follow up his victory in the French…

Racing:Lope De Vega romped away with the Prix du Jockey Club (French Derby) at Chantilly to follow up his victory in the French 2,000 Guineas.

Slipping his field early in the straight in the hands of Maxime Guyon, the Andre Fabre-trained colt quickly pulled several lengths clear.

None of his rivals got near enough to put in a challenge and he scored easily from Planteur.

The winner was the last of the 22 runners to enter the stalls but he was smartly away as Vive Libre set the pace for Planteur, the Elie Lellouche first string.

READ MORE

Ryan Moore, bidding to follow up his Epsom triumph on Workforce, had his mount Ice Blue handy while Brian Meehan's Dancing David and the Aidan O'Brien-trained pair of Viscount Nelson and Cape Blanco were also well placed.

However, it was a one-horse race once Lope de Vega hit the front as Vivre Libre had cried enough on the turn for home. Frankie Dettori was third on the Nicolas Clement-trained Pain Perdu.

Fabre said: "I had a doubt about him staying, he is from a Machiavellian family so there was a question mark there.

"I am tempted to drop him back to a mile for the Marois (at Deauville in August). There is a little doubt (about his stamina), so it is better to run over too short than too far.

"He is an excitable kind of horse, so I don't want to travel him too far, but if he stays in training as a four- year-old - and there is a strong possibility that he will - he could then possibly have a race in England.

"Horses are bred for a certain distance, and they get wiser as they get older, as we do - sometimes - so they don't acquire stamina, the distance is in their genes."

Guyon added: "It was always the plan to stay up with the pace. Mr Fabre didn't ask me to be in front, but he wanted me to be up with the pace.

"I knew the horse had loads of pace so straight away I was able to get a good position.

"I was on the French 2,000 Guineas winner so I knew I was on a good horse and I knew he would run well.

"It was a surprise that no one came to me to give chase in the straight.

"I have ridden some very good horses, but this horse is special as he has won over seven furlongs, a mile and a mile and a quarter. I don't know where he will stop."