Blue Rose Cen in Arc reckoning after Prix de Diane Longines triumph
- Planet Sport writer
- 18 June 2023
Blue Rose Cen could now tackle an extra two furlongs in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in October after winning the Prix de Diane Longines.
Blue Rose Cen stormed to her second Classic of the year when landing the Prix de Diane Longines in imperious fashion at Chantilly.
Christopher Head's stable star had already taken the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches in impressive style at ParisLongchamp last month and having conquered all before her at a mile, was even better on her first attempt at 10 furlongs.
With stablemate Wise Girl setting the fractions on the front end, big-race pilot Aurelien Lemaitre had the daughter of Churchill positioned handily tracking the pace along with French Guineas runner-up Lindy and the previously unbeaten Pensee Du Jour.
However, there was only one winner once the contest entered the business end and upon straightening for home, Lemaitre pushed the button to an almost instantaneous response from his mount, shooting clear of her pursuers and keeping on powerfully to register a clear-cut triumph.
Aidan O'Brien's Never Ending Story picked up the silver medal with Francis-Henri Graffard's Tasmania keeping on for third, but the day belonged to Blue Rose Cen who was handed a quote of 12-1 by Coral to tackle an extra two furlongs in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe in October.
She also becomes first filly since Jean-Claude Rouget's La Cressonniere in 2016 to do the French Guineas/Oaks double and she now joins the likes of Zarkava, Divine Proportions and Allez France to win all three of the Prix Marcel Boussac, Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and Prix de Diane.
"I see no imperfection regarding this filly, she is perfect overall, she has a strong mind and she is strong physically," said Head.
"She really runs with a certain passion and it has been brilliant to be involved with her. I will remember her for my entire life now and I wish everyone to have the chance and the luck to come across a filly like her."
On future plans, he added: "We will have to discuss the rest of the season. The best thing would be to see how she gets out of this race and in a few days we will have a meeting with Yeguada Centurion (owners) to discuss about the future of the filly for the rest of the season.
"We had a plan up until the Prix de Diane, just so we knew she could handle the distance. The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a new distance and we will have a discussion and have a plan for the rest of the season."
Head, who is the son of Freddy Head, only won his first Group One last October when Blue Rose Cen took the Boussac but has now gone on to win two Classics in his second season in the training ranks, something he believes could take some time to sink in.
He added: "I probably don't realise yet what is happening, it is probably only at the end of the season that I will understand what has gone on this year and the thing is, as you know in racing, this race is now gone and we are looking forward again."
