Prix Vermeille beckons for Snowfall

Love may also join stablemate in this month’s French Group One.

Aidan O’Brien’s Snowfall will head next to the Group One Prix Vermeille at ParisLongchamp as she seeks to continue her flawless three-year-old campaign.

The Deep Impact filly has been all-conquering this term, taking the Group Three Musidora Stakes before striding to a memorably emphatic 16-length victory in the Oaks at Epsom in June.

She then won the Irish Oaks at the Curragh by eight and a half lengths, and last month added the Yorkshire Oaks.

Snowfall’s next assignment is likely to be in France – bidding to give O’Brien a first success in the Prix Vermeille, with stablemate Love also a possible runner in the same contest.

“At the moment we’re going to the Prix Vermeille with Snowfall,” said the Ballydoyle trainer.

“Love is also in that and is also in the Blandford (at the Curragh on Irish Champions Weekend). We’re kind of letting Love sit there at the moment, without putting her under any pressure, then we can put her in to wherever.

“She’s sitting there for all those big races next weekend, but she doesn’t have to go anywhere.

“She’s a filly we’re trying to keep for nice ground, and obviously the season is long and goes right into December.”

Love was last seen finishing third in the Juddmonte International at York’s Ebor meeting, six and a half lengths behind the brilliant Mishriff – before which she was also third in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.

Love will run only when conditions suit her
Love will run only when conditions suit her (David Davies/PA)

“The Juddmonte was a bit of a messy race for her,” added O’Brien.

“She’s a filly that likes a high tempo, and we felt we didn’t get that either in the King George or at York.

“She’s a very low action and puts her head out and tries very hard. Usually with those type of horses, it’s very hard for them to get out of the soft ground.

“We want to mind her and will only run her when it suits her.”

O’Brien also provided an update on plans for Santa Barbara, who has collected two Grade One wins in America this summer – in the Belmont Oaks and the Beverly D. Stakes.

“We’re very happy with her – she’s really starting to get it together,” he said.

“She obviously loves nice ground and she loves a flat, fast track.

Santa Barbara is a dual Grade One winner in America this summer
Santa Barbara is a dual Grade One winner in America this summer (PA)

“She’s a great traveller – that’s what she’s always shown us here.

“She’s in good form, and the plan is that she might go away for a racecourse gallop and then she might go back to Keeneland for a fillies’ race over nine furlongs – that is about four or five weeks away.

“We obviously have an eye on the Breeders’ Cup with her, and we just want to get a run into her between then and now.”

On English soil, O’Brien is considering sending a handful of runners to Doncaster for the Cazoo St Leger.

“We have plenty of possibilities,” he said.

“We have a lot of those horses that ran in (the Great Voltigeur at) York, and I’d imagine that is where it’s going to come from.

“We have the horse Frankie (Dettori) rode (Sir Lucan). We could have three or four in it.”

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