Romanised Returns to Best in Prix Jacques le Marois

Europe has been searching for a leader for its older mile division and in Romanised—who streaked to an impressive success in one of the most reliable indicators in the calendar—the answer may have been hiding in plain sight.

Adding the Aug. 11 Prix du Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard Jacques le Marois (G1) at Deauville to his classic success from 15 months ago, Romanised may have done just that, building on an upward trajectory that was evident in each of his last three starts.

And as no-excuses, clean victories go, this was as clear cut as it gets. Billy Lee guided the son of Holy Roman Emperor past two pacemakers to stretch away from Shaman, with Line of Duty in third, and Coronation Stakes (G1) winner Watch Me fourth.

It is a quirk of the miling calendar that you need a reasonable quotient of stamina at the start of the year before speed becomes the absolute prerequisite from the Sussex Stakes (G1) onwards.

Fortunately for Ken Condon and owner Robert Ng, that increase in tempo is coinciding with Romanised becoming more and more pacy with time and age.

"We used to see that speed in training but when he won the (Tattersalls Irish Two Thousand) Guineas (G1) he looked like he just outstayed everything else and that he could go a mile and a quarter," Condon said. "He's just demonstrating that speed we've always seen and they ran 1:22 at the Curragh for the seven furlongs, which is the quickest Minstrel Stakes in 14 years."

Romanised was a one-length winner of the July 20 Paddy Power Minstrel Stakes (G2) at the Curragh last out.

The Jacques le Marois is a Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" challenge race, awarding Romanised a fees-paid automatic berth in the Nov. 2 TVG Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T) at Santa Anita Park.

"I think you'll maybe see him in the (Prix de la) Foret (G1) or he may go for the Breeders' Cup Mile," Condon added. "If he goes Breeders' Cup Mile, he may just stay home at Leopardstown on Irish Champions Weekend (for the group 2 Clipper Logistics Boomerang Stakes)."

Paddy Power installed Romanised as a 14-1 chance for Santa Anita, while Condon believes he has a different horse on his hands this year.

"He won the Guineas at a big price and we campaigned him ambitiously because we've always felt he was a very nice horse'" he explained. "After the Guineas last year he went to Ascot and didn't have a great experience there. This year he seems to be mentally better and more mature, he's an improving horse and you could see it today. It was a very good performance."

Lee said he had expected to have many more horses in front of him than behind him but was always in the perfect position behind Shaman and the two trailblazers.

Condon worked for the sponsoring Niarchos family as a young man and Lee also felt a debt of gratitude towards the same quarter.

"It's particularly special because they provided me with a first group 1 and it's lovely that I've won another and they sponsor it," Lee said. "My lad's just getting more uncomplicated with each race and it was a good performance.

"Shane Foley was riding him last year and then he took the job with Jessica Harrington so he wasn't able to commit to Ken and the horse. Luckily enough Ken gave me the call earlier in the year and thanks to Willie McCreery and Paddy Twomey, they had no problem and so riding for all three is a pleasure."

Shaman and Line of Duty Fill the Places

A year after chasing home Alpha Centauri in this race with Recoletos, Carlos Laffon-Parias was once again left with the runner-up prize as Shaman returned to the kind of level that saw him push Persian King hard in the French Guineas (group 1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains). 

"Before the race the Irish horse was the one that scared me the most because he ran very well in the Queen Anne (G1) and was very unlucky," Laffon-Parias said. "I think he would have won with a better trip and the other day he was impressive in Ireland."

Laffon-Parias added of the 3-year-old son of Shamardal: "Shaman handles every kind of track. You always have questions when you get beaten—maybe slightly slower ground would have helped but I'm not making excuses. We were beaten by the better horse. 

"The (Prix du Moulin) and the (Queen Elizabeth II Stakes) are the last group 1s of the year in Europe and we'll need to win one if we are going to make a stallion."

Line of Duty put in his best performance since winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T), leaving Charlie Appleby to contemplate an autumn campaign.

"As a 2-year old he was unbeaten at the trip and we've tested him over a mile and a quarter and a mile and a half (in the group 1 Investec Derby) but coming back to the mile has brought about significant improvement," Appleby said. "A bit of cut in the ground would definitely suit him and he's shown a nice level of ability at the mile."