The Group I Prix de Diane (2100m) (French Oaks) was won at Chantilly by Galileo filly Joan of Arc, who is the fourth Group I winner for a celebrated blue hen.
Trained by Aidan O’Brien and ridden by Ioritz Mendizabal, Joan of Arc continued the great run of success in the French Classics for the Coolmore team, who won both the Guineas and Derby with St Mark’s Basilica.
Second in the Group I Irish Thousand Guineas, Joan of Arc stepped it up a notch over the longer trip beating Godolphin’s blueblood Dubawi filly Philomene by three-quarters of a length.
“When I talked to Aidan he was pretty confident she would run a great race and that the longer trip would suit her very well,” said Ioritz Mendizabal.
“He asked me to ride her like the winner of the Jockey Club and that is what I did. We had an excellent trip and she quickened very nicely. Three hundred metres from the finish, I wasn’t sure we’d win but she’s done it easily in the end. She will stay further and it may be that a mile and a half is even better for her.”
A homebred for the Coolmore partners, Joan of Arc has three wins and two placings from six starts.
The 91st Group I winner worldwide for Galileo, Joan of Arc is a full sister to a pair of champion multiple Group I winners in Gleneagles and Happily as well as another Group I winner Marvellous, who won the Irish 1,000 Guineas, also two time Group II MRC Zipping Classic winner Taj Mahal and Group III winner Coolmore.
The only non-stakes-winning foal from You’resothrilling is Vatican City, who was second in the Group I Irish 2,00 Guineas.
A Group II winning full sister to champion racehorse and sire Giant’s Causeway, Youresothrilling has an un-named two year-old filly by Galileo in the pipeline.
