Tres Blue triumphs at Deauville as Cirrus disappoints again

As Cirrus des Aigles flopped again when only fifth with no obvious excuse in

Sunday's Group 2 Grand Prix de Deauville, it was left to the improving

three-year-old Tres Blue to stake his claim for an Arc bid.

Having won the listed Coupe des Trois Ans over 12 furlongs at Lyon-Parilly

May 9, he was third behind the subsequent Grand Prix de Paris winner Flintshire

in the Prix du Lys over that trip at Chantilly June 16, and second to Lucky

Speed in the Deutsches Derby at Hamburg July 7. Taking on his elders in the Prix

de Reux over this track and trip last time August 4, he was able to win a shade

cozily there, and a win in this would see him on the road to Longchamp's autumn

showpiece.

Beginning smartly before being positioned in a perfect spot stalking the

aptly-named Slow Pace and Penglai Pavilion against the fence, he was unhurried

as Cirrus des Aigles was moved up to join the lead. As that favorite failed to

pick up in midstretch and started to tire, Fabrice Veron sent Tres Blue between

him and the resilient Slow Pace and only managed to wear down the longtime

leader in the final 50 meters as Penglai Pavilion joined in the slow-motion

finish.

"The more he runs, the better he is and he is very tough and courageous,"

trainer Henri-Alex Pantall commented. "We hesitated to come here, as it was

between this and the Grosser Preis von Baden, but with Novellist going there we

thought this would be easier and we made the right decision. He has had some

hard races in close succession, so he will head straight to the Prix de l'Arc de

Triomphe (Group1 at Longchamp October 6)."

Also on the Sunday program, Fire Ship got up in a blanket finish to the Group

3 Prix Quincey. The British invader rounded off his sophomore campaign with a

third placing in the Ben Marshall over a mile at Newmarket in November, and

built on a slow start to the current campaign by filling that same spot in the

Grand Prix Anjou Bretagne over that trip at Nantes July 1.

Dominant in the Pomfret at Pontefract July 28, the bay was fifth in an August

2 heritage handicap at Glorious Goodwood when last seen, and took advantage of

an easy lead here to register a career-best. Left in front by reluctant rivals,

he shook off the attentions of Silas Marner by the time he reached the furlong

pole and kept grinding as fellow Brit Belgian Bill drove into his advantage

late.

"This is my first runner in France and first winner, so I couldn't be more

delighted," trainer William Knight said. "He was quite impressive at Pontefract

and always races handily, so when there was no pace Neil (Callan) did a good

job. He'll be entered in the Prix Daniel Wildenstein (Group 2 at Longchamp

October 5) and could well come back to France for that."

Myasun recaptured his best form to take the Group 3 Prix de Meautry. Sixth in

the Prix des Ris-Orangis over this course and distance on his last trip to the

races June 29, last year's Prix de Seine-et-Oise winner was dropped to the tail

of the field from his wide box here. Asked to close passing the two-furlong

marker, the chestnut kept finding under Olivier Peslier's drive to collar Tulips

with 100 yards to run and swell his black-type account.

"I was very confident going into the race, because I knew Myasun was as well

as ever," insisted winning trainer Christian Baillet. "He had valid excuses in

his last two runs and was unlucky on both occasions. If he had lost today we

would have taken an easier route, but now that he has won we'll try to have some

fun with him. I'll discuss it with the owner first, but I think we'll enter him

to run in the Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp (Group 1 on October 6)."

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