Maltese Cross goes one better in France
Epsom Derby runner-up comes from sticky spot to claim first G1 in Grand Prix de Paris
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Maltese Cross (Tom Marquand) lunging late between horses to gain the verdict in the Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris (2,400m) at ParisLongchamp on July 14.
PHOTO: SCOOPDYGA
Michael Lee
A stirring four-way battle in the concluding stages of the €600,000 (S$885,000) Group 1 Grand Prix de Paris (2,400m) at ParisLongchamp on July 14 saw Maltese Cross burst through a needlehole passage to deny Ancient Egypt in the last strides.
After taking over the lead at the 600m of the French staying classic, Ancient Egypt (David Egan) was on the cusp of a 16-1 upset when he successfully thwarted the assaults of Alam (Pierre-Charles Boudot) and Varandir (Mickael Barzalona), but Maltese Cross (Tom Marquand) had other ideas.
The narrow margins portray the closeness of the finish. A head split the first two, followed by a neck between Ancient Egypt and Alam with Varandir another head away to complete the quartet.
Marquand for one was expecting some place prize money at best when he found himself hemmed up in traffic behind runners.
“He’s a fantastic horse, he travelled very well in transit,” said the English jockey to France Galop.
“I probably found myself one spot further back than I would have liked. I was then forced to find a gap.
“He was a bit sluggish when going through his gears. I couldn’t improve past the horse on his outside (Alam).
“In the end, I took the middle path, which suited him well, even if it was a bit tight.”
Trained by William Haggas in Newmarket but bred in France, Maltese Cross ($20) was bringing up his fourth win in his last five starts, with the only defeat to interrupt the purple patch a stellar second to Christmas Day in the Group 1 Epsom Derby (2,400m) at his last start on June 6.
“He’s a really good horse and he’s got good speed over 2,400m,” added Marquand. “He showed it today and gave me the same impression in the lead-up race at Lingfield.
“He ran second in the English Derby and has now won his first Group 1. He will have to run in open company now.”
A three-year-old colt by Sea The Stars, Maltese Cross is raced by British film producer George Waud, who was on hand at ParisLongchamp to witness his ward’s Group 1 breakthrough.
“That horse, time and time again, delivers,” said Waud to Sky Sports Racing.
“He’s got all the ability, but he’s also got such a good brain. I could see Tom stuck on the rail there trying to figure out how he was going to get out.
“But Maltese Cross made the space for him. He knew what was going on, and boy did he come quick in the end.
“Second in the Derby was one of the best days of my life. Winning a Group 1 is comparable.
“Personally, the most disappointing thing for me about not winning the Derby was I couldn’t give Sam Haggas, who is William and Maureen’s son and my bloodstock agent that moment.
“For his parents to have their son pull off something like that, would have been amazing.”
With Haggas not on hand, it was his wife Maureen who did the honours at the race debrief.
“I thought he did unbelievably well to win the race from a fairly difficult position,” said Haggas, who is also her husband’s assistant trainer.
“He had the outside horse who was trying like hell to keep him in. But he does need something to aim at and he will squirm though a little hole, which he had to do today.
“He’s strong and he’s obviously got a will to win, which is one of his greatest attributes.”
The victory marked the first British success in this race since Hurricane Lane saluted for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby in 2021, bringing an end to France’s victorious run in the last four renewals.
The home team losing the Grand Prix de Paris will, however, not hold a candle to the level of disappointment of France exiting the World Cup after losing 2-0 to Spain in the semi-finals in the US the same day, all this exacerbated further by the concurrence with a day meant for celebration, Bastille Day.
