TRACKSIDE WORLDWIDE

GEZORA SHINES IN FRENCH OAKS AS SUMMER RACING HEATS UP It was another weekend of glorious summer racing on the flat, headlined by the French Oaks at Chantilly. The Prix de Diane on Sunday, June 15, was won by Gezora in an impressive performance that saw the three-year-old filly leave race favourite Shes Perfect behind. Going into the straight, it was the French 1000 Guineas runner-up who had the lead. However, Kieran Shoemaker’s ride failed to respond in the final 400 metres and dropped back. Gezora then made her move and finished strongly to beat the well-backed runner-up, Bedtime Story. Despite lacking strong recent form, the Aidan O’Brien-trained filly was expected to benefit from the step up in distance—and she did. Ultimately, her run came a little too late, and Gezora won comfortably for trainer Francis Graffard and owner Peter Brant.

The performance has rightly put Gezora among the horses to watch for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp. This latest win follows her victory in the Group 2 Prix Saint-Alary at Longchamp last month, which announced her arrival on the big stage. Group One Prix d’Ispahan-winning colt Sosie remains the current Arc favourite alongside Los Angeles. Both will be formidable opponents, but Gezora is clearly on the right trajectory to be a serious contender by October.

Shes Perfect’s connections will now need to consider their next steps after her disappointing finish on Sunday. A drop in distance seems the most likely option for a talented filly who simply didn’t have enough in reserve.

One horse that had plenty left in the tank on Sunday was Meisho Tabaru, who dominated the Takarazuka Kinen at Hanshin Racecourse in Japan. Leading from start to finish, he found another gear late on to stay ahead of Bellagio Opera. The favourite finished three lengths behind the winner and narrowly held off a fast-finishing Justin Palace. It was Meisho Tabaru’s first outing since his solid fifth-place finish in the Group One Dubai Turf at Meydan. The win now puts the four-year-old on course for a Breeders’ Cup bid, giving him another shot at Group One glory. He becomes the second Japanese horse to secure a place at Del Mar, following Jamar Mantar.

In Australia, the Hayes brothers appear to have unearthed another star in War Machine. The four-year-old entered the Group One Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm on Saturday, June 14, as the favourite and delivered on expectations. The win held great significance for Ben, JD, and Will Hayes. Their father, David Hayes, despite his many achievements as a trainer, never managed to win the Stradbroke. The victory was not only of sentimental importance to the Hayes family but also to the family of Mike Moroney. War Machine was originally handled by the late, great trainer before his passing in February this year. written by Joe Bell