Frankie Dettori strikes again as Coronet deservedly hits target at top level

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

Coronet lost out on the bob of a head to Waldgeist in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud 12 months ago and it was a close-run thing once more, as the gallant grey ran down the pace-setting Ziyad and stablemate Lah Ti Dar close home.

A midflight Frankie Dettori after a flying dismount from Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud winner CoronetCredit: Scott Burton

Gosden said: "We had planned for this race all year after she just missed out last year.

"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 as a likely target for Coronet and, though Arc 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 Group 1 Prix de Royallieu 24 hours earlier at Longchamp.

As for Dettori, he was rewarded for his loyalty in sticking by Coronet, whose record in ten previous Group 1s 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 two and a half minutes it took to run the Investec Oaks.

An unfortunate seventh at Epsom, the daughter of Frankel became the first British-trained winner of the Group 2 Prix de Malleret since Time On struck for John Dunlop in 2006.

Dettori had 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 a further five back to the remainder.

Gosden said: "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.

"She quickened up well in the Cheshire Oaks, it's a good weapon in her armoury and she's an improving filly.

Mehdaayih returns to the winner's enclosure at Saint-CloudCredit: Scott Burton

"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 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on October 6, while she holds Group 1 entries at York and Goodwood in August.

Headman heading for the top

Roger Charlton wasn't keen to map out immediate targets for Headman after he blew away his rivals in the Group 2 Prix Eugene Adam, though that is far from saying he sees him as anything other than hugely exciting.

Charlton said: "He's a good-moving horse and doesn't want soft ground. He's very big, very powerful and hasn't raced a lot.

All smiles as Headman lands the Group 2 Prix Eugene AdamCredit: Scott Burton

"He was more relaxed today and the travelling has done him a lot of good. He'll be a nice horse.

"I would like to take a patient approach but we'll be guided by what Prince Khalid would like to do, and Teddy Grimthorpe, to do what is right by the horse."

As striking as the way he breezed past fellow British contender Jalmoud was the manner in which he galloped all the way to the line. Jason Watson, who was registering a first Group win for his boss Charlton, was equally impressed.

Watson said: "I've always thought he would get further but at this stage of his career he's still showing slight signs of greenness.

"I wanted him to really finish to the line properly and he has done that well. We’ve got plenty of options now and he has shown he has every right to be in these sorts of races."

Thought for the day

It is obvious that Jason Watson's racing brain and ability to debrief is as prized by Roger Charlton as his undoubted skill in the saddle. Listening to both men, you can only wonder where Headman – who is out of a half-sister to dual Arc runner-up Flintshire – might end up this season, were it not for the planning involved with his owner-breeder's history-seeking Enable.

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