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The Fugue a convincing winner of Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot The Fugue beats Treve to win Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot
(about 3 hours later)
“It’s another French defeat,” was Criquette Head-Maarek’s phlegmatic view of the Prince of Wales’s Stakes here on Wednesday, having already pointed out to an interviewer that her filly Treve, last year’s Arc winner, had been beaten on the anniversary of Waterloo. “It’s another French defeat,” was Criquette Head-Maarek’s phlegmatic view of the Prince of Wales’s Stakes here on Wednesday, having already pointed out that her filly Treve, last year’s Arc winner, had been beaten on the anniversary of Waterloo.
Treve started at 8-13, almost certainly the shortest price of any favourite at this year’s Royal meeting, but never threatened to reproduce the brilliance of last October’s victory at Longchamp as she stayed on to finish third behind The Fugue and Magician.Treve started at 8-13, almost certainly the shortest price of any favourite at this year’s Royal meeting, but never threatened to reproduce the brilliance of last October’s victory at Longchamp as she stayed on to finish third behind The Fugue and Magician.
Head-Maarek hid her disappointment well, but the mood of deflation among Treve’s wider entourage was unmistakable after her second defeat of the season. The Fugue and Magician are both proven Group One performers, now with six wins at the highest level between them, while the John Gosden-trained mare crossed the line in a new track record time. For whatever reason, though, this was not the Treve that everyone had hoped, and expected, to see. Head-Maarek hid her disappointment well but the mood of deflation among Treve’s wider entourage was unmistakable after her second defeat of the season. The Fugue and Magician are both proven Group One performers, now with six wins at the highest level between them, and the John Gosden-trained mare crossed the line in a track record time. For whatever reason, though, this was not the Treve that everyone had expected to see.
Elkaayed set a strong pace from the start, but was largely ignored by the remaining runners and raced 10 lengths clear at one stage. Elkaayed set a strong pace from the start but was largely ignored by the remaining runners and raced 10 lengths clear at one stage.
William Buick had settled The Fugue towards the front of the chasing pack, though, with Frankie Dettori towards the rear on Treve, and The Fugue could be called the winner from halfway down the straight as she made smooth progress towards the lead while Treve tried and failed to do the same.William Buick had settled The Fugue towards the front of the chasing pack, though, with Frankie Dettori towards the rear on Treve, and The Fugue could be called the winner from halfway down the straight as she made smooth progress towards the lead while Treve tried and failed to do the same.
She was a length and three-quarters clear of Magician, with Treve another length further back.She was a length and three-quarters clear of Magician, with Treve another length further back.
Perhaps it was the quick ground, a tweaked muscle or just an off day. But the fact remains that Treve, who looked nigh close to unbeatable when she stormed five lengths clear of a very strong field in such superb style at Longchamp eight months ago, has now failed to win either of her two subsequent starts. Perhaps it was the quick ground, a tweaked muscle or just an off day. But the fact remains that Treve, who looked close to unbeatable when she stormed five lengths clear of a very strong field in such superb style at Longchamp eight months ago, has now failed to win either of her two subsequent starts.
She has also been displaced as favourite for this year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, with Australia, the Derby winner, now heading the market on 5-1 with Treve available at 6-1.She has also been displaced as favourite for this year’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, with Australia, the Derby winner, now heading the market on 5-1 with Treve available at 6-1.
Head-Maarek felt that Treve had moved poorly on the way to post, while Dettori also suggested afterwards that it was “not the real Treve” in Wednesday’s race. “Frankie didn’t think her action was right and she didn’t look right going to the start,” Head-Maarek said. Head-Maarek felt that Treve had moved poorly on the way to post while Dettori also suggested afterwards that it was “not the real Treve” in Wednesday’s race. “Frankie didn’t think her action was right and she didn’t look right going to the start,” Head-Maarek said.
“He didn’t think the ground was a problem, but he did feel a longer distance [than 10 furlongs] would suit her better. Her action was not right, but I don’t know why. Maybe we will discover something when we get home. “He didn’t think the ground was a problem but he did feel a longer distance [than 10 furlongs] would suit her better. Her action was not right but I don’t know why. Maybe we will discover something when we get home.
“She is not blowing at all, and a horse that is sick blows hard after a race like that. She came with a run but could not push. We will take her home to Chantilly and see how she is, and don’t forget that the winner today is very good too.” “She is not blowing at all and a horse that is sick blows hard after a race like that. She came with a run but could not push. We will take her home to Chantilly and see how she is and don’t forget that the winner today is very good too.”
The Fugue is just 12-1 for the Arc, but Gosden, who also won the feature event on the opening day of Royal Ascot in the St James’s Palace Stakes with Kingman, feels that the fast summer ground she had at this meeting is important for his mare and a third visit to the Breeders’ Cup meeting at Santa Anita, where she has finished third and second in the last two seasons, could also be an attractive target. The Fugue is 12-1 for the Arc but Gosden, who also won the feature event on the opening day of Royal Ascot in the St James’s Palace Stakes with Kingman, feels that the fast summer ground she had at this meeting is important for his mare and a third visit to the Breeders’ Cup meeting at Santa Anita, where she has finished third and second in the last two seasons, could also be an attractive target.
“I think [Treve] is unbeatable over a mile and a half with cut in the ground in the autumn and we would not go near her then,” Gosden said. “But I thought we had half a chance if we met on good-to-firm ground over a mile-and-a-quarter in mid-summer, that we might do her for a bit of toe. “I think [Treve] is unbeatable over a mile and a half with cut in the ground in the autumn and we would not go near her then,” Gosden said. “But I thought we had half a chance if we met on good-to-firm ground over a mile and a quarter in mid-summer, that we might do her for a bit of toe.
“I was training her for [the Pretty Polly Stakes at The Curragh] 10 days’ hence. That might seem a bit weird but she has just blossomed with the weather and the decision to come here was made on Saturday morning.“I was training her for [the Pretty Polly Stakes at The Curragh] 10 days’ hence. That might seem a bit weird but she has just blossomed with the weather and the decision to come here was made on Saturday morning.
“We will look at races like the Eclipse [at Sandown in July] and the Juddmonte International [at York in August] for her now and hope that we have summer weather. The Fugue doesn’t like soft ground, she has little feet like a ballerina, so if it’s soft, we don’t run. “We will look at races like the Eclipse [at Sandown in July] and the Juddmonte International [at York in August] for her now and hope that we have summer weather. The Fugue doesn’t like soft ground. She has little feet like a ballerina so, if it’s soft, we don’t run.
“The Eclipse comes close but she did not have a too hard a race today, William was under strict instructions that he could flick her, no more than that. She’s a filly who give you her all without asking.” “The Eclipse comes close but she did not have too hard a race today, William was under strict instructions that he could flick her, no more than that. She’s a filly who give you her all without asking.”
The Fugue also managed to win despite Lord Lloyd-Webber, who owns her with his wife, being there to see her perform. “She deserves this,” Lady Lloyd-Webber said. “It hasn’t gone her way sometimes and this is a very big stage to do it at.The Fugue also managed to win despite Lord Lloyd-Webber, who owns her with his wife, being there to see her perform. “She deserves this,” Lady Lloyd-Webber said. “It hasn’t gone her way sometimes and this is a very big stage to do it at.
“Andrew has never seen her win, he is the kiss of death. I hoped he would have a cold today and not come.” “Andrew has never seen her win. He is the kiss of death. I hoped he would have a cold today and not come.”