10 September 2023
Photo scoopdyga.com
Sunday, 10th September 2023, ParisLongchamp Racecourse (Paris) – The €600,000 Qatar Prix Vermeille (Gr1) showcased a changing of the guard between the leading fillies of the spring and those gaining momentum ahead of the Autumn's challenges. The 3-year-old victor, Warm Heart (Galileo), owned by Magnier, Tabor, Smith, and Westerberg, first caught attention in June's Ribblesdale Stakes (Gr2) at Ascot, failed in the Irish Oaks (Gr1), but redeemed herself in the Yorkshire Oaks (Gr1). The second-placed Melo Melo (Gleneagles), absent from May to July and victorious in the Prix de Pomone (Gr2) at Deauville on her return, pushed the Irish filly to the limit, finishing just a short neck behind. Nearly two lengths away, a group of fillies crossed the line, and the last podium spot was claimed by the outsider Sea Silk Road (Sea the Stars), previously fifth behind the winner at York. She beat Rue Boissonade (Seabhac), who had only clinched her first Group win, the favourite Blue Rose Cen (Churchill), who merely stayed on, the Classic performer Above the Curve (American Pharoah), beaten early today, and front-runner Pensée du Jour (Camelot), still in third place just 10 yards from the post in her debut over one and a half miles…
Warm Heart was bred in Ireland by Coolmore. She is out of Sea Siren (Fastnet Rock), who won multiple Group 1 races in her native Australia over distances ranging from 6 to 7 furlongs. Bremen, a 2-year-old full brother to Warm Heart, finished fifth in the Golden Fleece Stakes (Gr2) on the eve of this Prix Vermeille…
What they said:
Hermine Bastide, representative for Coolmore, co-owners of Warm Heart (1st) – Ireland
“She loves good ground and is super generous. James Doyle said she hadn't had the easiest of races, yet she showed determination. The team will decide the next step.”
James Doyle, rider of Warm Heart (1rst)
“The race was a bit of a trappy contest. Normally, she exits the gates very well, but she slipped today, losing her action for a few strides, and so I found myself further back than I would have liked and a bit fenced-in. They didn’t go very fast, and I was worried during the race. She showed a lot of determination to come out on top. Once in the lead, she doesn't really stop but tends to idle a bit and wait for the others, which is what she did in the Yorkshire Oaks and what she did again today. As for the Arc, her connections will decide. My feeling is that she needs good ground - being a light-actioned sort, and the going is therefore important in this regard. We've already seen editions of the Arc being run on fast ground; it can happen, but it's not common either.”
Francis-Henri Graffard, trainer of Mélo Mélo (2nd) – Chantilly (Oise region)
“Today, we came up against a filly who was really a tough cookie. Furthermore, Mélo Mélo was conceding 3.5kg to the winner, which is a lot. Looking to the future, she'll be even better suited by much softer tracks. In any case, I think she delivered a great performance!”
Tom Marquand, rider of Sea Silk Road (3rd) – Great Britain
“I'm very pleased with his performance. She's a super filly. One day, she'll win her Group 1 race when all the conditions come right for her. She had run a little freely in the Yorkshire Oaks, but today, I followed the pre-established outlined before the race. She's a classy filly.”
Christopher Head, trainer of Blue Rose Cen (5th) – Chantilly (Oise region)
“It's possible that the season has been a little long for the filly. She was in very good order in the first half of the season. We're going to talk to her owner and see how she recovers so we can look ahead to the future. She should stay in training next year, so we'll certainly be concentrating on her 2024 campaign.”