If ever a Group 1 was marked for export, then it must surely be the Prix Morny, the latest European leg of Breeders’ Cup ‘Win and You’re In’ Challenge, offering a guaranteed fees-paid spot in the Juvenile Turf Sprint at Del Mar.
Sunday’s 2-year-old highlight down the straight six furlongs at Deauville is one of France’s most historic races, dating back to 1865 – but only twice in the last 16 years has the Darley-sponsored €350,000 contest stayed at home amid a string of overseas winners.
After Earthlight bucked the trend by striking for Andre Fabre in 2019, last year’s contest reverted to type as Wesley Ward’s Royal Ascot winner Campanelle led home a 1-2-3 for overseas horses from Nando Parrado and Rhythm Master.
Moreover, anyone analysing Sunday’s 14-runner field is unlikely to identify any surfeit of hope for the domestic contingent, as no fewer eight horses are travelling from abroad, among them five from Britain plus a couple from Ireland.
They include a pair of Royal Ascot winners in Perfect Power and Quick Suzy, whose connections have already named the Breeders’ Cup as their primary end-of-season target, plus Armor and Asymmetric, who both Group races at Glorious Goodwood. Throw in Coolmore’s Velocidad, a G2 winner at the Curragh last time, and it looks clear the home team face a formidable array of foreign talent.
The second Darley-sponsored G1 on the Deauville Sunday card is the Prix Jean Romanet for older fillies and mares headed by Nassau Stakes heroine Lady Bowthorpe. Rivals include Thundering Nights, who won the G1 Pretty Polly last time out beating dual U.S. winner Santa Barbara, and Audarya, en route to defending her title in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf.
Prix Morny: a bit of context
History: Established in 1865, the 1,200-metre (6f) event is named in homage to the Duc de Morny, who had died since launching Deauville racecourse the previous year. Indeed, it was originally known as the Prix de Morny, before the ‘de’ was lost to the mists of time; his dukeship was Napoleon Bonapartre’s half-brother; he also founded Longchamp. Opened to foreign horses in 1947, the Morny has been the happiest of hunting grounds for visitors in more recent years.
Star turn: Arazi (1991) – destined to go down in Breeders’ Cup folklore for his astonishing Juvenile victory on the dirt, the little chestnut with the crooked white blaze handed out a 3-length drubbing to his rivals in the Morny en route to Churchill Downs.
Most wins (trainer): Robert Denman (8): Present Times (1884), Frapotel (1886), Farnus (1901), Vinicius (1902), Val d'Or (1904), Mehari (1908), Porte Maillot (1911), Marka (1912)
Modern era: Francois Boutin (7): Nonoalco (1973), Super Concorde (1977), Tersa (1988), Machiavellian (1989), Hector Protector (1990), Arazi (1991), Coup de Génie (1993)
Most wins (jockey): George Stern (10): Eperon (1900), Farnus (1901), Vinicius (1902), Val d'Or (1904), Mehari (1908), Porte Maillot (1911), Marka (1912), Durzetta (1920), Zariba (1921), Banstar (1925)
Modern era: Frankie Dettori (6): Bahamian Bounty (1996), Dabirsim (2011), The Wow Signal (2014), Shalaa (2015), Lady Aurelia (2016), Campanelle (2020)
Breeders’ Cup Challenge
The winner will receive will receive an automatic fees-paid berth in the Juvenile Turf Sprint at the two-day championships at Del Mar on November 5-6. A minimum travel allowance of $40,000 will also be provided for all starters based outside North America; the Challenge winner must already be nominated to the Breeders’ Cup programme or nominated by the pre-entry deadline to receive the rewards.
Already qualified (1): Perfect Power (Norfolk Stakes)
Breeders’ Cup past performance
Although last year’s winner Campanelle did indeed go on to the Breeders’ Cup, she contested the Juvenile Fillies’ Turf rather than the Juvenile Turf Sprint, the race with which the Morny is linked. The Wesley Ward-trained filly was fourth at Keeneland, where the trainer won the Juvenile Turf Sprint anyway with Golden Pal.
Arazi’s subsequent exploits at Churchill Downs after he won the Morny in 1991 mean the race may forever be woven into BC tapestry. In 2001 Johannesburg also thwarted America’s top juveniles and become the only BC winner Aidan O’Brien has ever saddled on dirt.
Top contenders for 2021
Armor (Richard Hannon/Pat Dobbs) – son of 2013 winner No Nay Never looked potential top-drawer sprinter with impressive 3¼-length drubbing of decent field in Goodwood’s Molecomb Stakes; showed excellent turn of foot there over 5f (soft ground) and extra furlong should suit; trainer also runs dual winner Gubbass.
Asymmetric (Alan King/Martin Harley) – son of Showcasing has won three of four; narrowly beaten in July Stakes before electric turn of foot to justify favouritism after being short of room in G2 Richmond Stakes at Goodwood (Khunan, Gubbass and Perfect Power all behind); trainer better known for jumps but has been upping his flat string in recent years.
Quick Suzy (Gavin Cromwell/Gary Carroll) – Profitable filly dropped back to 5f to win 21-runner Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot, running on well inside final furlong; U.S.-based owners are working back from Breeders’ Cup; has already won at 6f and fillies have a fine record here.
Velocidad (Jospeh O’Brien/Ryan Moore) – Coolmore filly has won both starts in Ireland; handled both heavy ground in maiden and then much quicker conditions with comfortable win in G2 Airlie Stud Stakes at the Curragh in June; improving sort, and though daughter of Gleneagles may prove better over further, not lacking speed (as her name might suggest).
Have A Good Day (Florian Guyader/Maxime Guyon) – stayed on well for surprise 18/1 victory (over Sunday rivals Dizzy Bizu and Trident) in course-and-distance Prix de Cabourg on soft ground three weeks ago; Christophe Soumillon, who rode that day, now partners Perfect Power, who met trouble in running at Goodwood last time.
What they say
Richard Hannon, trainer of Armor
“He’ll get six furlongs and we’ll have to have a go at a Group 1 over that trip, but he’s not a big horse. This is his year and, if he makes into a good 3-year-old, then great, but he’s good enough now.”
Joseph Burke (on behalf of Quick Suzy’s owners, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners)
“Fillies have a good record in the Morny. She’s already Group-placed in Ireland, a Group winner at Royal Ascot and the joint-highest rated 2-year-old in Ireland, so it would be great to get some G1 form in France on her CV next.” (Sky Sports Racing)
Richard Fahey (trainer of Perfect Power)
“I think he’s a talented horse. At the moment, we’re all beating each other when you look at the 2-year-old form. I'm sure he’s up near the top of the best ones, so let’s hope we get a bit more luck in France. Everything that happened [at Goodwood], you'd probably have preferred it not to have happened, but he’s in great order.” (Sky Sports Racing)