Brave Warm Heart overcomes stumbling start in Vermeille to add to Aidan O'Brien's Group 1 haul

Warm Heart may have enjoyed the run of the race when winning at York last month but she showed here she can do it even when events conspire against her, overcoming a stumbling start to maintain her 100 per cent record under James Doyle. 

Doyle said: “She’s a star. It didn’t work out great early. I planned to just keep it really simple and keep a nice position but she knuckled three times out the stalls. She was quite lucky to find her feet, but it just meant I couldn’t get the position I wanted."

Forced to sit mid-pack alongside dual Classic winner Blue Rose Cen, and with Above The Curve also unable to employ her usual positive tactics, Warm Heart was in a far from ideal spot as Maxime Guyon cut out a modest pace on Pensee Du Jour. 

But the daughter of Galileo has grit to go with her obvious talent and when Doyle manoeuvred her into daylight, she produced a decisive burst of acceleration before idling slightly as Melo Melo threw down the final challenge.

"It was a bit tight turning in, we didn’t go all that fast and she does get well through the line at this trip," said Doyle. "She was very brave to get out and she hit the line well. Once she hits the front she doesn't really stop, but she seems to wait for the others.”

Warm Heart added a first win in the Prix Vermeille to an outstanding weekend for Aidan O'Brien, who, having watched her victory from the Curragh, was fairly adamant she would not be heading back to Paris in three weeks' time. 

Instead she will be prepared for a tilt at the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf, with Betfair cutting her to 4-1 (from 6) for Santa Anita.

O'Brien said: "I’d say it will be America. We went to France because we were afraid the ground was going to go for her. I’m delighted with her and it will probably be America before we see her again."

Francis Graffard was delighted with Melo Melo, who was stepping up from her Group 2 victory on testing ground at Deauville last month.

"We've run into a very tough filly here and of course we were conceding weight for age as well," said Graffard. "I think she'll be even better on softer ground and she has put up a huge performance."

Warm Heart and James Doyle after winning the Prix Vermeille

Sea Silk Road halved the deficit to Warm Heart from their meeting at York and was only two lengths down in third at the line. 

Tom Marquand said: "She’s run another good race and she’s picked up some valuable Group 1 black type for the family. You’d like to think if she can put it all together and get it right she’ll get her head in front in one of these." 

Marquand added: "It was a step back to where she was [before York]. She’s shown she’s a classy filly but she has yet to have everything fall right all at the same time in the right race. Hopefully it will happen for her."

Christopher Head was inclined to blame the effects of a long season for Blue Rose Cen's fifth-placed finish, although he confirmed the Poule d'Essai and Prix de Diane heroine will remain in training at four.

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