A Case of You Pounces Late to Capture Abbaye

Ronan Whelan left the Curragh three weeks ago feeling he had let a golden group 1 opportunity slip when A Case of You  finished like a train to be beaten half a length by Romantic Proposal  in the Derrinstown Stud Flying Five (G1). 

The pair left it late once again, but reeled in runaway leader Air de Valse  to lead on the line and break the hearts of the Cirrus des Aigles  team in the Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp Longines (G1) Oct. 3.

"I was a bit gutted after last time," said an ecstatic Whelan, who was doubling his group 1 tally three years on from Skitter Scatter 's Moyglare Stud Stakes (G1) success.

That is so close! The Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp Longines goes to Ireland as A Case Of You runs down Air De Valse at @paris_longchamp! @adomcguinness1 @WhelanRonan #WinAndYoureIN pic.twitter.com/M9VJaAAsid

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 3, 2021

"He flew home at the Curragh and I thought in another few strides I might have won. But we're only just learning about the horse and I'm just delighted he proved his Flying Five run was no fluke."

Whelan added: "To ride a winner here is unbelievable. I knew I'd hit the line pretty good. I looked up to the screen, but I wasn't sure. When they called it out I didn't know whether to smile or cry."

Returning to the winner's enclosure trainer Ado McGuinness led the celebrations while Whelan orchestrated a sizeable Irish contingent from the saddle.

Whelan added: "To ride for Ado is a dream. He's been so good to me and to get these opportunities is unbelievable."

A Case of You was a first top-level winner for McGuinness, who supplemented the 3-year-old son of Hot Streak  for €25,200 on Thursday.

"The Flying Five was his first time over five furlongs and he's just got better and better," said McGuinness. "He'll be a very good horse next year.

"He was a three grand yearling, although we gave a good bit of money for him last year at the end of his 2-year-old-career.

"I ran him in the Commonwealth Cup (G1) at Ascot and he wasn't right, but I knew he was right here. I can't believe it. I knew he'd definitely improved because I've a good sprinter at home and he can't lay up with him."

The Abbaye is a Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" race and Del Mar looks a likely next stop, with Paddy Power cutting him to 12-1 (from 25) for the Nov. 6 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T).

"He's coped with the ground, but I think he'll be better on good," added McGuinness. "We're definitely going to look at the Breeders' Cup, but we'll see how he is. Either that, or we could put him away and save him for Dubai."

While there was joy for the A Case of You team, Corine Barande-Barbe was left to reflect with pride on the effort of Air de Valse, who she also bred from her own stallion and who carries her colors.

"She was giving away weight all round at the beginning of the year, so it hasn't been easy," said Barande-Barbe. "She likes this type of ground and she races in cheekpieces to help her get into a rhythm. She is a great little mare.

"It's great to have a runner in a group 1 with a mare I've bred, partly own, and train. You have to be positive!"

Glass Slippers  added to her fine record in the race in finishing third, having been runner-up last year and the winner in 2019, while Mo Celita  was a short head back in fourth.

Favorite Suesa  traveled well on the outside but failed to pick up in the ground and was a well-beaten fifth.