Princess Zoe still thriving in search of famous ParisLongchamp double

Ashley Iveson
October 24, 2020 12:15 pm

Mullins reports remarkable mare in flying form.

Tony Mullins is hopeful Princess Zoe can go close in her bid to complete a famous Group One double in the Prix Royal-Oak at ParisLongchamp.

The remarkable mare has enjoyed a meteoric rise since being bought from Germany this year, progressing from a mark of 64 when second on her Irish debut at Navan in June to claim top-level honours in the Prix du Cadran three weeks ago.

The five-year-old will be bidding for a sixth successive win on her return to Paris on Sunday, with Seamie Heffernan taking over in the saddle from suspended apprentice Joey Sheridan.

Mullins said: “Hopefully it’s not too quick a return. We wouldn’t be here if we saw any evidence that it was, but you’re not really going to know until the last 200 metres on Sunday – that will be the acid test.

“Everything has gone according to plan, and we don’t see any problems at the moment.

“We think we’re in as good a form as we were the last day, if not better.”

Unbelievable mare, unbelievable performance!
Princess Zoe extraordinarily wins the Group 1 Qatar Prix du Cadran for @tonymullins84 and @joeysheridan8 at @paris_longchamp pic.twitter.com/FGG4nZhN8z
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 3, 2020

Princess Zoe is set to face seven rivals in the two-mile contest, with British hopes carried by the Mark Johnston-trained Subjectivist.

Mullins views Alain de Royer-Dupre’s Valia, winner of the Prix Chaudenay on Arc weekend, as the chief threat to his stable star.

He added: “We see the Aga Khan filly and Mark Johnston’s horse as the two dangers. I think more the Aga Khan filly, who is a possible improver.

“She’ll have to improve again, I think, but it’s very possible that she will.”

Subjectivist has enjoyed a fine campaign for the Johnston team, with a wide-margin victory in the Group Three March Stakes at Goodwood the undoubted highlight.

Subjectivist comes home clear in the March Stakes (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

The Teofilo colt was last seen finishing seventh in the St Leger at Doncaster.

Charlie Johnston, assistant to his father, said: “If you had asked me a month ago where he was going to go, I would have said the Long Distance Cup at Ascot last weekend – that was Plan A.

“But then when Stradivarius turned up and Aidan (O’Brien) declared everything he did, it looked a deeper field than we expected it to be, so at the last minute we decided to give it a swerve and go for the Royal-Oak. Looking at it, I think it’s the right decision.

“The trip is a little bit of an unknown – you are always a little bit hesitant with him because of his run style and how he likes to get on with things.

“Princess Zoe needed every yard of the two and a half miles last time, and I would like to think over this trip we might have too much class for her. Our horse will handle the conditions and goes there with a good chance.”