Group I racing continued overnight in the UK and France with Juddmonte based champion sires Frankel and Kingman producing the winners in outstanding mare Nashwa and exciting colt Feed the Flame, who staked a big claim for the Arc.
The Group I Grand Prix de Paris (2400m) at Longchamp was won in spectacular fashion by lightly raced colt Feed the Flame, who charged home with a late rush to beat Irish Derby runner-up Adelaide River with Epsom Oaks winner Soul Sister in third place.
Trained by Pascal Bary and ridden by Christian Demuro, Feed the Flame won by a length to post his third win from four starts with his lone defeat a fourth in the French Derby to Ace Impact.
“We didn't have any choice in the [Prix de] Jockey Club, we had to use Feed the Flame up from his draw but at a mile and a half he was able to really accelerate. He'll be even better on autumn ground and if he stays in the same form, he'll have a real chance in the Arc,” said Pascal Bary.
Purchased for €270,000 from the Arqana Deauville Yearling Sale, Feed the Flame runs for Ecurie Jean-Louis Bouchard and is a half-brother to multiple Group winner Sacred Life and Group placed Khagan being the best of four winners from Knyazjna, an unbraced Montjeu mare from the family of Group I St Leger winner Rule of Law.
Feed the Flame is the 68th stakes-winner for Kingman and is his third stakes-winner from a daughter of Montjeu, that nick has produced 11 winners from 17 runners.
The Group I Falmouth Stakes (1m) at Newmarket for the fillies and mares was won by four year-old Frankel mare Nashwa, beating three year-old Kingman filly Remarquee with race favourite Via Sistina (Fastnet Rock) in third place.
Trained by John and Thady Gosden and ridden by Hollie Doyle, Nashwa won both the Group I French Oaks and Goodwood Nassau Stakes last year and hit top form at her third run this year to power clear and win by five lengths taking her overall record to five wins and four placings from 11 starts.
A homebred for Imad Al Sagar’s Blue Diamond Stud Farm, Nashwa is the best of two winners from her stakes-winning dam Princess Loulou, who is by champion sire Pivotal.
She is bred on the highly successful Frankel x Pivotal nick that has produced seven stakes-winners from 30 runners, so 23% SW to runner and five of those SW’s are Group I winners including Cracksman and Hungry Heart.
