Shes Perfect team set to appeal against French Guineas demotion after calling winner's ride 'unacceptable' and 'not a good image'

The Shes Perfect camp will appeal against her dramatic demotion from first place in Sunday's French 1,000 Guineas after labelling Mickael Barzalona's use of his hand down the neck of the promoted winner Zarigana as "unacceptable".

The filly, who cost €50,000 and is owned by Basher Watts Racing, finished first past the post in the Classic under Kieran Shoemark but was deemed to have interfered with Zarigana and the places were reversed following a lengthy stewards' inquiry. 

Barzalona dropped his whip inside the final furlong after using it twice, before using his right hand on multiple occasions to encourage Zarigana in the closing stages, when she finished a nose behind Shes Perfect.

Zarigana: was awarded the French 1,000 Guineas in the stewards' roomCredit: Aga Khan Studs

France Galop's rules limit the use of the whip to four times and if a jockey strikes a horse nine times or more, it triggers disqualification. The body has confirmed that France's rules of Flat racing only regulate the use of the whip and not use of the hand. 

"Myself and Charlie have had a brief chat and we think we're going to appeal," said Watts on Monday. "We'll get lots of advice as we only have one shot at it and want to make sure we go there with the strongest case. We're confident we have one."

Shes Perfect's trainer Charlie Fellowes added: "It's early and we're just letting the dust settle but I'd imagine we'll appeal."

Watts took particular issue with the way Barzalona used his hand aboard Zarigana, and said: "Mickael struck his horse twice with the whip and then 12 times in the final furlong with his hand, which we feel is unacceptable. Some may say a slap down the neck might not do anything, but in terms of the image of the sport, if that was my jockey I'd have been furious.

"If Kieran slapped our filly 12 times down the neck in the final furlong we'd have probably won by further and kept the race. Does this open a huge can of worms? If a jockey is in trouble and getting beaten, they can drop their stick and slap their horse as many times as they want. It's not how a Classic should be won.

"Especially with everything that's going on with the sport, we need to be so conscious of how we come across. Slapping a horse so quickly in the space of seconds is not a good image."

Shes Perfect is entered in the Prix de Diane next month, but the events surrounding her demotion on Sunday could mean she is instead aimed at Royal Ascot.

"Lots of her owners feel very strongly about not running in France again," said Watts. "The logical next step is the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot and just to be saying that is a dream come true. We'll go after that Group 1 that we feel she should already have to her name."

Shes Perfect would have been a first Group 1 winner for Fellowes, and Watts added: "I was gutted for Charlie as he's never won a Group 1. I turned up to his yard two years ago absolutely clueless and he must have wondered what I was doing. Not even two years later we walked into the winner's enclosure after 'winning' the French 1,000 Guineas. 

"It's bittersweet, but we're still full of pride as it's been a fairytale. There's that chip on our shoulder about that Group 1 now and when we get it – which we will – it's going to feel extra sweet."

How the drama unfolded

Shes Perfect veers left into the path of Exactly and ZariganaCredit: At The Races

Zarigana is pushed left as Shes Perfect straightens upCredit: At The Races

Zarigana's jockey Mickael Barzalona then loses his whipCredit: At The Races

Barzalona uses his hand to encourage Zarigana to the finish lineCredit: At The Races

What are the whip rules in France?

France Galop introduced on-the-day disqualification for nine or more strikes of the whip in September 2023. 

Read those rules here

Read these next:

Heartbreak for Kieran Shoemark as French 1,000 Guineas win on Shes Perfect is overturned by stewards 

Cries of 'cheat' and 'disgrace' in the Longchamp winner's enclosure as French 1,000 Guineas controversy boils over 

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