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Cirrus des Aigles strong as ever in Ganay Producing yet another top-class effort on this seasonal return in Sunday's Prix Ganay (Fr-G1), the undimmed nine-year-old Cirrus des Aigles (Even Top) outpointed his two-years younger rival Al Kazeem (Dubawi) in a finish of the golden oldies to notch up a seventh Group 1 win and third in this race. Not sent to Dubai this year as he had been when scoring by eight lengths in 2012 and when upsetting Treve (Motivator) 12 months ago, the evergreen showed no signs of any cobwebs as he was sent to the front by Christophe Soumillon -- who had returned to France less than 16 hours after piloting Mubtaahij (Dubawi) to finish eighth in the Kentucky Derby (G1) -- after a furlong. Sauntering throughout with Al Kazeem in closest attendance, he was still well within himself as the British raider began to be ridden in the "false straight" leading to the final turn. As the filly We Are (Dansili) cracked in behind, Al Kazeem managed to fight his way to the flanks of Cirrus des Aigles but that was all the veteran needed to spur him on. Hardly touched with Soumillon's whip, he hit the line a comfortable winner to defy the press and his trainer to produce some original praise. "He's just amazing and to sum up, he's the best," trainer Corine Barande-Barbe said. "You always worry when he is running for the first time this year, but he enjoys bowling along in front and dictating the pace. He was just having fun toying with them." Cirrus des Aigles had used victory in this last year as a springboard to glory in the Prix d'Ispahan (Fr-G1) here and in Epsom's Coronation Cup (Eng-G1), where he finished lame despite brushing aside Flintshire (Dansili). He could be returning to those contests now, although his conditioner has one special target in mind for him later in the summer. "We are obviously delighted and now have to see what to do with him next," she added. "He is in all the top Group 1 races like the Prix d'Ispahan (May 24), the Prince of Wales's S. ([Eng-G1] at Royal Ascot June 170, the Coronation Cup (June 6) and the Eclipse S. ([Eng-G1] at Sandown July 4), but I'd love to win the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud ([Fr-G1] June 28) with him. "I will ask the horse where he wants to run and that's where we'll go." Al Kazeem's trainer Roger Charlton was magnanimous in defeat and full of pride for the runner-up, who is still looking for his fourth top-flight success and first since re-entering training after a failed spell at stud. "He ran a good race, but the winner is amazing and was too good on the day," he commented. In the Prix Vanteaux (Fr-G3), Olorda (Lord of England) justified a supplementary entry to deny a pair of de Royer-Dupre and Fabre representatives. Unconsidered as the outsider of the quintet for this Prix de Diane (Fr-G1) trial, Olorda had won by nine lengths at Munich last time April 19. Second initially under Cristian Demuro, the blinkered bay looked set for a place at best as she was outpaced in the final quarter-mile but found extra to split the long-time leader Via Manzoni (Monsun) and the favorite Vedouma (Dalakhani) in the last strides. "She won well at Munich and is a big, galloping filly who I thought would have a chance on a track like Longchamp," trainer Michael Figge commented. "I think she'll go on any ground and she has several engagements. "She could go for the Prix de Diane (at Chantilly June 14) or to Royal Ascot for the Ribblesdale S. ([Eng-G2] June 18), but her ultimate target is the Preis der Diana ([Ger-G1] at Dusseldorf August 2)." The Andreas Wohler-trained Alex My Boy (Dalakhani) gained revenge on Fly With Me (Beat Hollow) in the Prix de Barbeville (Fr-G3) at about 15 1/2 furlongs. Trained by Mark Johnston last term, Alex My Boy at times showed a reluctance that undermined his natural ability, such as when he lost interest before staying on strongly to be eighth in Royal Ascot's King George V H. over 12 furlongs. Ridden more forwardly when the impressive winner of his next two starts in 14-furlong handicaps at Haydock in July and Musselburgh in early August, the bay followed the latter effort with a second in Goodwood's March S. again at that trip. Sluggish initially on that occasion also, he was eighth in the St Leger (Eng-G1) at Doncaster before being switched to Wohler and started out for his new stable with a runner-up placing behind Fly With Me in the Prix Right Royal over this trip at Saint-Cloud April 5. In rear from the break, he was steered into third with Olivier Peslier keen to get him engaged and, after gaining the lead passing the quarter-pole, stayed on in determined fashion as Fly With Me arrived with a stern challenge. Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
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