By Sean Cronin
Coolmore's Puerto Rico (Wootton Bassett) was last seen claiming a career high in ParisLongchamp's G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on Arc day and doubled his Group 1 tally with a pillar-to-post victory in Sunday's G1 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud.
He becomes the 24th elite-level winner of the year for Aidan O'Brien, who extended his record haul in this one-mile test to seven. The Ballydoyle maestro doubled up on the card just one hour later when Pierre Bonnard (Camelot) made it 25 in the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud. For rider Christophe Soumillon, this was a record-extending fifth renewal.
“He's pacy, he stays and he's a lovely horse,” said O'Brien. “We wanted to see what he'd be like over a mile today and he handled the soft ground well. We were thinking of going to the Breeders' Cup with him, but decided to let him come here instead. He's a very classy horse and he's going to be lovely next year. I think anything from a mile to a mile-and-a-quarter will suit him and he could even get a mile-and-a-half. He's a miler, but because he's so relaxed he could get further. We'd love to come back for a French Guineas.”
The 3-5 favourite was slick from the gates and gained an early lead. Nudged along with 500 metres remaining, last month's G2 Champagne Stakes victor was safely clear approaching the final furlong and kept on strongly under minimal urging in the closing stages to easily hold Campacite (Zarak) and Champagne third Cape Orator (Mohaather) by 1 3/4 lengths and a head.
Puerto Rico wins his second Group One with a dominant display in the Criterium International at Saint-Cloud! 🏆🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/419Vuaf3JL
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) October 26, 2025
Pedigree Notes
Puerto Rico is the first foal bred from G2 Kilboy Estate Stakes runner-up April Showers (Galileo), herself a full-sister to black-type winners headed by multiple Group 1-winning Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Misty For Me (Galileo) and her G1 Prix Marcel Boussac-winning full-sister Ballydoyle (Galileo). Misty For Me is the dam of four black-type including G1 Dewhurst Stakes and G1 July Cup hero US Navy Flag (War Front) and his multiple Group 1-winning full-sister Roly Poly. Puerto Rico's third dam, Mr. P's Princes (Mr. Prospector), is kin to the Grade I-winning sires Desert Wine (Damascus) and Menifee (Harlan) and she produced G1 Phoenix Stakes and G1 Prix Morny-winning sire Fasliyev (Nureyev). She is also the third dam of GI New York Stakes hero Marketsegmentation (American Pharoah). The winner is full to a weanling colt and half to a yearling filly by No Nay Never.
Sunday, Saint-Cloud, France
CRITERIUM INTERNATIONAL-G1, €250,000, Saint-Cloud, 10-26, 2yo, c/f, 8fT, 1:41.85, vsf.
1–PUERTO RICO (IRE), 126, c, 2, by Wootton Bassett (GB)
1st Dam: April Showers (Ire) (GSP-Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
2nd Dam: Butterfly Cove, by Storm Cat
3rd Dam: Mr. P's Princess, by Mr. Prospector
O-Mrs John Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-April Showers Syndicate; T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Christophe Soumillon. €142,850. Lifetime Record: GSW-Eng & GSP-Ire, 8-3-3-0, €560,975. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Campacite (Fr), 126, c, 3, Zarak (Fr)–Wanaway (Fr), by Galiway (GB). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (€160,000 Ylg '24 ARQAUG). O-Guy Pariente Holding, Gerard Augustin-Normand & Ecurie Friedrider; B-Guy Pariente Holding; T-Jean-Claude Rouget. €57,150.
3–Cape Orator (Ire), 126, c, 2, Mohaather (GB)–Mouille Point (GB), by Motivator (GB). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (€280,000 Ylg '24 ARQDOY). O-Valmont; B-SAS Le Thenney – Pearl Champs Elysses; T-Ralph Beckett. €28,575.
Margins: 1 3/4, HD, 3/4. Odds: 0.60, 6.50, 3.90.
Also Ran: Hardy Warrior (Ire), New Zealand (Ire), Piazza San Marco, Port Of Spain (Ire). Scratched: Gostam (Ger).
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