FRANCE: Prix Ganay Easy For Cirrus De Aigles

Monday, 30 April 2012: Without So You Think as a rival French star Cirrus Des Aigles blew away his opposition in the G1 Prix Ganay at Longchamp on Sunday with an emphatic win as an odds on favourite.

Cirrus De Aigles Photo by Racing and Sports

So You Think was not declared by Aidan O'Brien for the Prix Ganay and it seems the eight-time G1 winner will be aimed at Royal Ascot before he retires to take up stud duties with Coolmore in Australia in September.

Trained by Corine Barande-Barbe, the six-year-old Cirrus De Aigles recorded his first Group One victory in own country after he sent straight to the front under Olivier Peslier and dictated the pace over the extended 10 furlongs.

Peslier gradually wound it up on the two-time Dubai Sheema Classic winner and had the rest of the field struggling by the time they turned into the straight before coming away to beat Giofra easily under hands and heels riding.

Prix du Jockey Club winner Reliable Man finished third, with Wigmore Hall fourth.

Barande-Barbe said: "We are very proud of him - he is a magic horse. We have been waiting for that (his first Group One in France) for a long time and he won so easily.

"Olivier gave him a very good ride. Now the horse knows more about racing, you can just let him do what he wants.

"It was a fantastic performance and we are all delighted."

Cirrus Des Aigles has the Coronation Cup at Epsom and the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot as possible options before he defends his Champion Stakes crown at Ascot.

"We will consider what to do next. There is the Coronation Cup, Royal Ascot, the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and Singapore to consider," said Barande-Barbe.

"He has not had a hard race and we will make a decision about the next place to go with him.

"It would be great to go back to Ascot at the end of the season for the Champion Stakes again."

Cirrus Des Aigles beat So You Think in last season's Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot.

Other Group races on the Longchamp card saw Trois Lunes record a narrow victory in the Prix Vanteaux and Usuelo take out the Prix De Barbeville.