Haggas’ Maltese Cross a genuine contender in Grand Prix de Paris
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Maltese Cross (Tom Marquand, black cap) finishing second behind Christmas Day (Ronan Whelan, pink cap) in the Group 1 Epsom Derby (2,400m) at Epsom Downs on June 6.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Sharon Zhang
A high-class field has been assembled for the €600,000 (S$885,000) Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris (2,400m) on July 14, with British raider Maltese Cross looking to go one better in the French feature.
The Sea The Stars colt went close to giving trainer William Haggas a second win in the Group 1 Epsom Derby (2,400m) – 30 years after his success with Shaamit in 1996 – but was unfortunately beaten 2¾ lengths into second by Aidan O’Brien’s Christmas Day at his last start.
The Derby runner-up – who won his three previous races, notably the Listed Lingfield Derby Trial (2,300m) on May 9 – will now return to action in France.
He will take on three French colts, two Irish runners and one other UK representative at ParisLongchamp’s midweek Group 1 feature on France’s National Day.
Maltese Cross will face another of O’Brien’s top-quality Irish gallopers in Causeway, who is five-from-six, and O’Brien’s son, Joseph, will saddle Limestone in the field of seven.
UK trainer Charlie Johnston will have Ancient Egypt lined up.
From the home team, there is trainer Francis-Henri Graffard’s three-from-three winner Varandir, Mikel Delzangles’s Alam, and Space Waltz, co-trained by Andre and Lavinia Fabre.
Haggas said the Group 1 St Leger Stakes (2,900m) at Doncaster will likely be Maltese Cross’s aim after his trip across the Channel.
“He’s the perfect St Leger type for me. He’ll stay well and I think it’s the perfect race for him,” said Haggas to Sky Sports Racing.
“I’m not the biggest fan long-term of the Leger. I respect its place in the calendar and it’s a fantastic race to win, but we’ve not had much luck in the race, not that we’ve tried very hard, but he is an obvious candidate.
“Depending how we get on on Tuesday, that race will be firmly in our sights, I’m sure.”
Owned by Godolphin and trained by UK conditioner Charlie Appleby, Hurricane Lane was the last foreign winner when he landed the Grand Prix de Paris in 2021.
The heat is on for the seven contenders, but a forecasted heatwave that will potentially affect racegoers on the ground in Paris saw post times for the Grand Prix de Paris meeting moved to later in the day.
Originally slated for 4:38pm, the card’s first race will now take place at 5:15pm, while the featured Grand Prix de Paris will kick off at 8:15pm (Singapore time 2:15am on July 15).
It will be double the thrill for spectators at ParisLongchamp with the live broadcast of the French football team playing Spain in the World Cup semi-finals over in Dallas on the big screen.
