Way To Paris takes Group One gold at Saint-Cloud

PA Sport Reporters
June 28, 2020 4:30 pm

Popular grey claims first top-level victory.

Way To Paris registered the first Group One win of his career at the age of seven in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud.

The popular grey, trained by Andrea Marcialis, has a series of creditable runs at the highest level to his name, but had previously always found one or two too good.

Sent off favourite despite the presence of Charlie Appleby’s Old Persian – who was ultimately disappointing – Way To Paris needed every yard of the mile-and-a-half trip to secure his long-awaited victory.

That perhaps should not be surprising given he ran in the Prix du Cadran over two and a half miles last season, but he had been sharpened up by running over shorter trips this term.

Czech-trained Nagano Gold and Ziyad had a break on the field, but Pierre-Charles Boudot swooped late on Way To Paris to get up in the final strides.

Marcialis said: “He’s a fantastic horse. When I started training in France, I only had two horses and he was one of them.

“He went close many times in the past, but now he has finally won a Group One.

“He was second over 10 furlongs last time, but today was his best performance.

“I changed the way we work him in the morning. I know him very well, I haven’t changed a lot, but he’s a champion horse.

“I think he’ll have a break now as he’s had three races in one month, then we’ll build him up for the Arc.”

Andre Fabre registered the 800th Group-race success of his long and illustrious career when Persian King returned to winning ways in the Prix du Muguet.

Winner of the French 2000 Guineas last season, he only ran once more when second to Sottsass in the French Derby.

Surprisingly beaten by stablemate Magny Cours on his return two weeks ago, he improved for that run and left the impression there was even more to come going up in trip.

Boudot was on board and told Sky Sports Racing: “He did very well today and it was nice to get another win on him.

“He was good at three and now he’s won at four.

“(Pretreville) came up on my outside, but my horse showed good stamina in the last furlong.

“There’s still more to come from him. He improved from his first run today.

“I don’t know about a mile and a half, it’s difficult to say, but maybe his next target will be the Prix d’Ispahan where one furlong more will be OK for him.”