By Emma Berry
PARIS, France — “Where's Charlie?” The reaction of Francis Graffard, looking for Charlie Fellowes to commiserate before celebrating his own good fortune in being awarded the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches, spoke volumes. Not only for the decency of the winning trainer but for the extreme awkwardness surrounding the prolonged stewards' enquiry and ultimate outcome. One man's gain, another's pain.
In the case of the demoted Shes Perfect it was not, however, just one man's pain. Almost 60 syndicate owners had joined manager Basher Watts on the pilgrimage to Longchamp in pursuit of Classic glory. On seeing their free-running filly battle back when seemingly beaten, plunging her nose down on the line to be first past the post by the merest of margins, they filled the winner's enclosure with whoops and hollers, hugs and tears.
Their cries of 'Shooey' added yet more poignancy to what looked to be the ultimate tale of sporting redemption: Classic glory for Kieran Shoemark after a torrid week of being pushed down the pecking order of jockeys at Clarehaven.
Whatever one's view of the outcome of the previous weekend's 2,000 Guineas, there can be no denying that Shoemark has been riding at the top of his game this season. An owner or trainer looking for the 'best available' could well have had their heads turned by his performances in each of the Longchamp Classics. From a desperate draw, Luther outran his odds to take fourth for Fellowes in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains, while Shes Perfect was beaten only by her own slight waywardness in the straight. And it was slight. The rules, often more harshly applied in France than in other jurisdictions, have to be adhered to, no matter how aggrieved those closest to the action may justifiably feel.
As Zarigana was announced as the winner there was booing in some quarters around the parade ring. The tears of stunned joy shed by Fellowes as he attempted to take in the extraordinary performance of his filly to deliver what had appeared to be his first Classic winner will have tasted bitter on his cheeks only moments later. Watts magnanimously led his followers in a round of applause for the team from the Aga Khan Studs as they departed the hallowed arena, crestfallen.
“That's horseracing,” said the admirably equable Shoemark, showered and changed and on his way out of the weighing-room after calling a polite “Merci” to the officials within. He could have walked on by and refused to speak at this gloomiest of hours but instead the politeness continued.
“I'm gutted for the connections but we've got a wonderful filly who has put up another mighty performance. I am sorry for the connections that it didn't happen today. Unfortunately I think that was part of my 'it comes in threes' and we'll get over today and I am sure we'll see her at Ascot.”
He added of his week in an unwelcome spotlight, “I've had an incredible amount of support throughout the last five, six days – even just walking back in off the filly then, and my phone's been red hot. It's just another rollercoaster of emotions.
“I'm a big boy, I've got big shoulders, and we'll move on.”
Emotion enveloped both sides of this equation. Those involved with Zarigana clearly took no pleasure in throwing shade on the visitors' brief moment in the sun.
“Nobody wants to win a race like this,” said Graffard, who is currently dominating the French scene with a 30 per cent strike rate, so many of those winners coming in the green and red livery of the Aga Khan Studs.
This should have been a delightful result for Princess Zahra Aga Khan and her loyal team – one that reflected not only the immense contribution of her recently deceased father to racing and breeding but also that of her great grandfather.
Zarigana's coronation echoes down through a century and more, way beyond her famed and beloved granddam Zarkava, whose first Classic triumph she emulated here. This was a victory eleven generations in the making, right the way through from the second handful of yearling purchases by HH Aga Khan III in 1922, which included the supremely influential Mumtaz Mahal.
For that extraordinary devotion to the development of thoroughbred families alone, nobody could deny the Aga Khan Studs another major success here – a seventh in the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches since 1984. It is to their credit that Graffard, Princess Zahra and her family made no show of celebration as they were handed their trophies.
At the other end of the broad spectrum of racehorse ownership came the many involved with Shes Perfect. They have a terrific filly, no doubt, and it can only be hoped that the collective dismay they must have felt on leaving Longchamp can soon be focused on what may lie ahead.
Shoemark, too, must find his strength in adversity. He looks to be well on his way.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
