Sunway set to move up in distance after Chantilly effort

Molly Hunter
June 4, 2024 2:19 pm

Menuisier considering 12-furlong aims following luckless French Derby challenge.

A step up in trip will likely be on the agenda for Sunway after his performance in the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly.

The Galiway colt was a Group One winner in France last term, taking the Criterium International at Saint-Cloud after a second-placed run in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster.

He started the current campaign in the Prix la Force, where he was fifth, before he returned to Saint-Cloud to go down by just a neck in the Prix Greffulhe when stepped up to the French Derby distance of an extended 10 furlongs.

He was drawn in stall eight at Chantilly and after leaving the gates he collided briefly with Alcantor in the next stall, putting him on the back foot at an early stage.

He did make progress as the race developed, however, and eventually finished seventh, beaten four and a half lengths in a run trainer David Menuisier is taking plenty of positives from.

“He has come out of the race very well, he travelled back and he is fine and ready to go again,” he said.

“He ran very well, sadly he just clipped heels as he came out of the stalls with Alcantor and nearly fell over.

“Oisin (Murphy) nearly came off, he managed to stay on but in the process he lost a good few lengths which was detrimental to his final position.

“He quickened really well up the straight, past half the field really, and ended up a length or three-quarters of a length off the fourth horse – which is an impressive run considering all of that.”

As for the next steps, Menuisier added: “We will be considering a fair few options, I’m not sure as yet. I think we will step him up again in trip because he looked like a proper mile-and-a-half horse.

“He’s entered in the Grand Prix de Paris, he’s entered in the Irish Derby, he could be entered in Ascot if need be, even though he’s not in the race, he could wait for the King George if we want to – there’s lots of options.”