ParisLongchamp: Amusingly triumphs in Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere clash with Folsom Blues
The supplemented Amusingly showed her quality when defeating the well-fancied Folsom Blues and Avec Toi in the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on Arc day; Also, Green Empress provided Joseph O'Brien with top honours in the Prix Marcel Boussac.
Sunday 4 October 2026 17:26, UK
Amusingly oozed class in beating the colts to land the Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at ParisLongchamp.
Francis-Henri Graffard surprised many when switching his Juddmonte-owned filly from the Prix Marcel Boussac against her own sex, but the decision was well and truly vindicated.
Colin Keane dropped his mount out last in the early stages and she tracked the odds-on favourite Folsom Blues, with both travelling ominously well.
Joseph O'Brien's National Stakes winner had no answer to the finishing burst of Amusingly, though, and the daughter of No Nay Never pulled away to win in tremendous fashion.
Graffard said: "She beat the filly that finished second in the Marcel Boussac (Data) very easily, so I was hoping I didn't make a mistake.
"She shows a lot of speed this filly, so I said to Barry Mahon (Juddmonte racing manager) she's more of a Commonwealth Cup filly than a Guineas filly for next year.
"I've no idea if she'll go to the Breeders' Cup, I need to speak to the team.
"Today is a big win so I just want to enjoy that and winter well and we have a lovely filly for next year, but what she has done today is wonderful."
The Lagardere at seven furlongs was a furlong shorter than the Bousaac, and Keane said: "I think the decision to run in this race rather than the Boussac was a bit of a combination of everyone, it just looked like the last day over a mile she failed to see out the final half-furlong.
"She's a filly with a lot of class and lot of pace, she did a lot on the bridle before being run out of it close home (last time) so that was in the decision to bring her back to seven, albeit we were taking on the colts.
"She relaxed a lot better today, she wasn't as fresh and gassy and did everything right in the first half of the race, when she did that part we thought she'd run a good race and she showed how well she can quicken."
He added: "Time will tell if she's a Guineas filly, she does have a lot of pace but I don't see why she won't get a mile."
Green Empress rules in Prix Marcel Boussac
Green Empress provided Joseph O'Brien with another big-race success when narrowly holding off Data to win the Qatar Prix Marcel Boussac at ParisLongchamp.
Never out of the first two in her career, she was paying the ultimate compliment to the brilliant Sun Goddess, who to date has been the only filly to beat her - on no less than three occasions.
Ridden confidently by Christophe Soumillon, Green Empress hit the front with half a furlong to run and looked set to win comfortably before Christoper Head's Data made her pull out all the stops close home.
O'Brien said: "It's really special for us to have a Group One winner on this day and she has been progressive - she's only ever been beaten by Sun Goddess all year.
"She has a super pedigree, being by Saxon Warrior out of a Sea The Stars mare. We see her as a miler that might go 10 furlongs at some stage.
"We'll see how she comes out of today and discuss with the owners whether she'll go to America (Breeders' Cup) or whether we wait for next year."
The success was the latest Group One triumph in a stellar year for O'Brien, who added: "We're very lucky to have the support of some great people and a wide variety of owners.
"For us it's about performing and executing at big meetings. It's fantastic to have a big winner on Arc day."
Nicholls records famous Group One win with Miss Yechance
Jack Nicholls upheld family tradition in winning a first Group One aboard the supplemented Miss Yechance in the Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp Longines at ParisLongchamp.
The grandson of David 'Dandy' Nicholls - who won this race in 2002 with Continent and was renowned as a master trainer of sprinters - and son of Adrian, former jockey now trainer, Nicholls has taken his chance with both hands in what has been a breakthrough season.
Riding in his first top-level contest, Nicholls, 20, found himself up alongside Ryan Moore on Mission Central inside the final furlong but timed it all to perfection for a famous success aboard the Karl Burke-trained filly. Shiri flashed home to claim second ahead of Mission Central.
Nicholls said: "I've never had a feeling like that, there's no words to describe it really.
"I can't take much credit, she does everything herself and I'm just the lucky lad that gets to sit on top of her. I just try to keep her as happy as I can and she does the rest for me.
"I didn't think I would get a chance in a Group One and I'll be forever grateful to the owners and Karl for putting their trust in me and to let me ride her."
Of the family connection to the race, he said: "The name Nicholls is only known for sprinters really. My grandad was probably one of the best sprint trainers that ever lived and my dad won two Group Ones, so it would probably be a bit weird if I wasn't riding in sprint races.
"Continent was very special horse to the family, we had him in the field in retirement. I would have taken any Group One, but if I could have picked one it probably would have been the Abbaye.
"My dad is the best dad in the world. I went to see him the other day and he said it would be the fastest 55 seconds of my life and the weirdest as well."
The win was also a huge fillip for the Burke yard, who lost stable star Fallen Angel on Saturday.
Nicholls added: "It's great for the yard as obviously they had a bad day yesterday with Fallen Angel. She might have been looking down and helped us in that last 50 yards. It's very special."
