Dettori Strikes Again as Coronet Hits Top-Level Target

John Gosden and Frankie Dettori were in irresistible form at Saint-Cloud June 30 as Coronet and Mehdaayih righted some wrongs, landing two of the feature group contests on a day dominated by horses trained in Britain. 

Coronet, a Dubawi mare, lost by the bob of a head to Waldgeist in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (G1) 12 months ago, and it was a closely run effort once more as the gallant gray ran down the pace-setting Ziyad and stablemate Lah Ti Dar close home. 

"We had planned for this race all year after she just missed out last year," Gosden said. "Last year, she was in front by the screen but beaten on the line. This year, she was behind passing us but in front where it mattered. She's a very honest filly. She deserves this first group 1 success, and they're two nice fillies. Lah Ti Dar found the ground a little quick for her."

Gosden nominated the Darley Yorkshire Oaks (G1) as a likely target for Coronet, and though Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) quotes of 33-1 were in the air immediately after, he indicated she and Lah Ti Dar are likely to be aimed at the newly promoted Prix de Royallieu (G1) a day prior at Longchamp. 

As for Dettori, he was rewarded for his loyalty in sticking by Coronet, whose record in 10 previous group 1 efforts included four seconds, three thirds, and a fourth. 

"Last year, she just got beat on the line, and she deserved a group 1," said Dettori, who narrowly escaped a potentially heavy sanction from the Saint-Cloud stewards after being fined for two strikes of the whip above the permitted five. "She's had to chase Enable all her life and finally got to run against horses less competitive than her."

Mehdaayih Lands Prix de Malleret

While it could be argued that Coronet's ill fortune over three seasons stemmed from continually running into one horse too good, Mehdaayih suffered a career's worth of bad luck in the 2 1/2 minutes it took to run the Investec Oaks (G1).

An unfortunate seventh at Epsom, the daughter of Frankel became the first British-trained winner of the Prix de Malleret (G2) since Time On struck for John Dunlop in 2006.

Dettori intended to be handy, but Mehdaayih had other ideas about the urgency of the task at hand leaving the stalls, meaning the pair had to watch on from the rear as Merimbula cut out the running.

In that scenario, her eclipsing of the smart Edisa and Merimbula by two lengths was especially notable, with five lengths back to the remainder. 

"We don't quicken like the French fillies are taught to quicken, so I thought we were asking a big question of her, but it's a lovely straight here and she has a lot of class," Gosden said. "She quickened up well in the Cheshire Oaks, it's a good weapon in her armory, and she's an improving filly.

"Frankie said she gets unbalanced easily, so no wonder Epsom didn't suit her."

Paddy Power shortened Mehdaayih to 25-1 (from 33-1) for the Oct. 6 Arc at Longchamp, and she holds group 1 entries at York and Goodwood in August.