Olmedo Prevails at ParisLongchamp

Olmedo took the lead close home to give trainer Jean-Claude Rouget back-to-back wins in the Emirates Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French Two Thousand Guineas, G1) at ParisLongchamp, before Teppal prevailed in a four-way finish to the Emirates Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (French One Thousand Guineas, G1) May 13.

There was drama in-between, as the One Thousand Guineas was delayed by half an hour and eventually moved to the outer track after jockeys voiced their concerns about the state of the racing surface on the middle track.

The Two Thousand Guineas went the way of Antoni Caro & Gerard Augustin-Normand's Olmedo, who ran home strongly under Cristian Demuro to collar dueling leaders Hey Gaman and Dice Roll near the finish, prevailing by a neck. He stopped the clock in a time of 1:37.72 for the 1,600-meter (one-mile) distance on a track rated good. Hey Gaman just passed Dice Roll by a nose in the photo for second, with Godolphin's Wootton a further 1 3/4 lengths away in fourth.

Olmedo had finished a head behind Wootton in last month's Prix de Fontainebleau (G3), and that race once again proved the key trial. The son of Ashford Stud's Declaration Of War  was the sixth Poulains winner to use it as a prep in the last decade.

Rouget landed the race for a second straight year. Brametot took the 2017 edition at Deauville while the Paris track underwent extensive redevelopment.

"He has some acceleration to chase the leaders down from there, and it's not easy here when they get away in front," Rouget said after the race. "He'll go to the (group 1 QIPCO Prix du) Jockey Club next. There isn't much choice. That's his race rather than the (group 1) St James's Palace (at Royal Ascot)."

Runner-up Hey Gaman's trainer, James Tate, was disappointed with the loss, but also thrilled with his New Approach colt's effort. 

"Getting beat in such a close finish was bittersweet, but we're delighted with him, and he should improve again from here," he said.

Aidan O'Brien's U S Navy Flag, Europe's champion juvenile last season, led for most of the way under Ryan Moore but faded out of contention inside the final furlong, finishing fifth. 

The One Thousand Guineas produced another close finish, with Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Thani's Teppal just holding on from multiple challengers under jockey Olivier Peslier. The margin of victory at the wire was a short neck to Coeur de Beaute, with fast closing Wind Chimes a head back in third and another head to fourth-place Capla Temptress.

Godolphin's Musis Amica was sent off as the favorite to maintain her unbeaten record on the back of a win in the Prix de la Grotte (G3) over the Guineas course and distance on return, but could finish only sixth.

Teppal, who was making her first start of the season and first in stakes company, gave Peslier a fourth win in the race, including back-to-back years. She finished the 1,600-meter (1 mile) test in a time of 1:37.97 on a surface rated good.

The win was a maiden classic success for trainer David Simcock, who was delighted with his daughter of Camacho.

"I'm made up. It's just nice to get a horse good enough to compete in a race like this, and so to train a first classic winner is fantastic," he said. "We were hopeful beforehand as she's very streetwise, and she was in good shape. We weren't overly fussed when the course was changed, and Olivier gave her a great ride."