Albigna hits overdrive in the mud to take Marcel Boussac for Jessica Harrington

Jessica Harrington is synonymous with top-class jumpers and top-class Flat horses. Albigna marked herself out as a top-class Flat horse when winning the Prix Marcel Boussac and the manner in which she did it suggests she boasts many of the excellent qualities possessed by the trainer's former stars of Cheltenham, Punchestown and Fairyhouse.

At the top of the home straight the daughter of Zoffany appeared to be flat to the boards in the Longchamp mud under Shane Foley, while at the furlong pole she remained three lengths behind clear leader Marieta.

By then, however, she was in full overdrive and well on her way to what was ultimately a decisive and gritty two-and-a-half-length success.

Albigna pulls clear of Marieta to win the Prix Marcel BoussacCredit: Edward Whitaker

The performance came only eight days after Harrington and Foley had combined to win another juvenile fillies' Group 1, the Cheveley Park Stakes, with the pacey Millisle.

Prior to that the duo had struck in Pattern company with two other two-year-old fillies, the Jon Kelly-owned Cayenne Pepper and Alpine Star, who like Albigna is a representative of the Niarchos family, now owners or joint-owners of a record five Marcel Boussac winners.

Albigna had flopped on her previous outing in the Moyglare Stud Stakes, and although there had been a perfectly fair excuse for that sixth-placed effort, Harrington was still far from bullish about this mission.

"Zoffany horses tend to go on a bit of soft ground but we just didn't know," she said. "She had never run on it, and she ran free before being found to be in season after her last race, so we weren't that confident, but today we saw the real Albigna, the filly we've seen at home.

"I didn't think she was travelling great but Shane said she likes to find her feet, just as she had done in her first two races."

Albigna roars home to win the Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp for Jessica HarringtonCredit: Edward Whitaker

Albigna definitely found her feet here, so much so she is now challenging Quadrilateral for Qipco 1,000 Guineas favouritism at between 12-1 and 16-1. Before that there could possibly be a trip to the Breeders' Cup.

Assessing her two most recent Group 1 winners, Harrington added: "They've never worked together, but this filly has showed she stays a mile, so she looks more like a Classic filly."

Marieta's trainer Mauricio Delcher Sanchez hopes he might also have a Classic contender, and said: "My filly has run a marvellous race and showed a real turn of foot before just fading at the finish."

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