Msqe De Sevigne adds another Deauville Group 1 to deny Via Sistina in thrilling finish

Mqse De Sevigne completed a historic double and continued jockey Alexis Pouchin's recent Group 1-winning spree when narrowly denying Via Sistina in a thrilling Prix Jean Romanet.

The Andre Fabre-trained four-year-old was settled right at the back of the field by Pouchin, but when switched to the outside in the home straight she flew home to snatch success on the line.

It completed a high-profile big-race double at Deauville this summer for Mqse De Sevigne, having landed the Prix Rothschild at the track three weeks ago. Her nose success here also enhanced Pouchin's brilliant Group 1 run with a third top-level win since the Rothschild having also landed the Grosser Preis von Berlin on Simca Mille at Hoppegarten last Sunday.

"It's incredible. She's a very easy filly to ride, which is three-quarters of the job. My role was to not make any errors," Pouchin said. "The favourite set sail for home pretty early in the straight and I was able to slipstream her a bit, knowing that my filly was at her upper limit trip-wise.

"It's been an incredible month, just as the start of the year was. I could never have imagined winning three Group 1s, including one in Germany. It's amazing."

Mqse De Sevigne became the first horse to win both the Rothschild and the Romanet in the same season since the latter's inception in 2004. It also continued French-trained runners' brilliant record in their top-level contests this year having landed 11 of the 15 Group 1s run in France in 2023.

The daughter of Siyouni was also ending a decade-long wait for another success in the Romanet for Fabre, who had previously won it with Romantica in 2013 and with Announce in 2011. He also became the joint-winningmost trainer in the 1m2f contest alongside James Fanshawe.

Andre Fabre: third win in the RomanetCredit: Edward Whitaker

Mqse De Sevigne was cut to 6-1 (from 14-1) with Betfair Sportsbook and Paddy Power for the Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket in October, a race Fabre and winning owner Baron Edouard de Rothschild landed in 2015 with Esoterique.

However, Fabre is eyeing up a trip to British Champions Day at Ascot later that month for his new star filly.

He said: "She was very good. We'll probably go to Ascot for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes."

Via Sistina was narrowly denied a second Group 1 success following her win in the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh earlier this summer, but her trainer George Boughey was not downbeat afterwards, and the runner-up could return to France for the Prix de l'Opera on Arc weekend on October 1 for one final hurrah before she is retired to the paddocks.

"She's run a blinder again and it's not taken much out of her, she just got a bit lonely in front," Boughey said.

"I think we'll probably come back for the Opera on Arc day. It looks the right race for her as she's a filly who handles all types of ground. It'll probably be her last race, but she's done amazing and has only just come into herself. She's a very good filly."

Above The Curve was two lengths further back in third ahead of fellow Irish-trained runner Trevaunance, while the Hughie Morrison-trained One For Bobby finished sixth.

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'It's been an incredible month' - another Deauville Group 1 for Pouchin and Mqse De Sevigne as pair deny Via Sistina

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