By Tom Frary
Relishing the testing ground at ParisLongchamp on Saturday, Denford Stud's three-year-old Consent (Lope De Vega) dominated the G1 Qatar Prix de Royallieu to announce her arrival. Patiently campaigned by Sir Mark Prescott, the 12-1 shot who had been second to Santorini Star (Golden Horn) in Doncaster's Park Hill last month kept that compatriot company on the lead before brushing her aside approaching the final quarter mile.
“She's improved all year and that was an easy a watch as it gets,” assistant trainer William Butler said of the Luke Morris-ridden 4 1/2-length winner, who was also runner-up in Deauville's G3 Prix Lady O'Reilly in August. “The plan was to sit second or third and it all worked out. It's a special day for the owner and the plan was to train her next year, so I would think on the back of today everyone will be keen to stick to that.”
Jockey Luke Morris was adding another Group 1 at this track to his Arc triumph in 2022 and said, “The plan was very straightforward and to keep it as simple as possible on her. We were unlucky at Deauville and I think she'll be a better filly again next year. She showed a turn of foot today and, being a Lope De Vega, that bit of ease underfoot has seen her to better effect.”
Phil Partridge, representative of Santorini Star's owners, said of the game runner-up, “She ran really well and gave everything she had. Tom Marquand felt the ground was a bit too sticky for her–she didn't show her usual sharp turn of foot. She's a really good filly and we adore her. As for what's next, there will be discussions. This is probably the final run of her season, but we must decide whether to keep her in training at five or send her to stud.”
The Listed Prix Caravelle winner and dual Group-placed Rabbit's Foot (Golden Horde) was a neck behind Santorini Star in third and trainer Francois Rohaut summed up the feeling surrounding the three-year-old who is in the day's Arqana Arc Sale. “Magnificent! We had a slight doubt about her stamina, but not about the ground and she showed great courage and heart,” he said. “She's very beautiful, very sound and she goes through the sales ring this evening, so we'll see how the day ends!”
“This performance is exceptional. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose and today we've won,” he added. “This third place changes everything for the sale. She'll keep improving too–she's tough, has a great mind and has everything to become a really good racemare.”
What a performance! 🤩
Consent is in a class of her own in the Group One Qatar Prix de Royallieu! 🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/CA13SMROY4
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 4, 2025
Pedigree Notes
Consent, who becomes the 25th Group 1 winner for her sire, is the second foal out of the unraced Flora Danica (Galileo) who is a daughter of the Railway Stakes-placed Daneleta (Danehill). She is in turn responsible for the Dewhurst-winning sire Intense Focus by Lope De Vega's grandsire Giant's Causeway and Street Cry's prolific Stakes producer Dane Street.
The latter boasts the Moyglare Stud Stakes heroine Skitter Scatter (Scat Daddy) and the Group and Graded-Stakes placed trio Skellet (Kingman), Victory Dance (Dubawi) and Data Dependent (More Than Ready), with the latter going on to produce the Belmont Oaks winner Aspen Grove (Justify). From the family of Sholokhov (Sadler's Wells), Marhaba Ya Sanafi (Muhaarar) and Soldier Of Fortune (Galileo), Flora Danica also has an unraced two-year-old filly by Dark Angel named Firgun, a yearling colt by Palace Pier who sold for €92,000 to Ramzi Alghul for Local Creator at this week's Goffs Orby Book 2, and a filly foal by Sioux Nation.
Saturday, ParisLongchamp, France
QATAR PRIX DE ROYALLIEU-G1, €300,000, ParisLongchamp, 10-4, 3yo/up/up, f/m, 14fT, 3:05.15, vsf.
1–CONSENT (IRE), 123, f, 3, by Lope De Vega (Ire)
1st Dam: Flora Danica (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Daneleta (Ire), by Danehill
3rd Dam: Zavaleta (Ire), by Kahyasi (Ire)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (€260,000 Ylg '23 GOFOR). O-Denford Stud; B-Airlie Stud, S M Rogers & Flaxman Stables Ireland Ltd; T-Sir Mark Prescott; J-Luke Morris. €171,420. Lifetime Record: GSP-Eng, 6-3-3-0, €258,236. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Santorini Star (Ire), 130, f, 4, Golden Horn (GB)–Livia's Dream (Ire), by Teofilo (Ire). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (290,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-Tony Bloom & Ian McAleavy; B-Olivia Hoare; T-William Haggas. €68,580.
3–Rabbit's Foot (Fr), 123, f, 3, Golden Horde (Ire)–Harem Mistress (Ire), by Mastercraftsman (Ire). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (€50,000 Ylg '23 ARQOCT; €625,000 3yo '25 ARQARC). O-BS Racing SARL; B-Jean-Paul Cayrouze; T-Francois Rohaut. €34,290.
Margins: 4HF, NK, 4HF. Odds: 7.60, 4.30, 33.00.
Also Ran: Kiamba (Ire), Latakia (GB), Island Hopping (Ire), Bedtime Story (Ire), Shaha (Ire), Bibbiena (Fr), Indalimos (Fr), Kathina (Fr), Survie (Ire).
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