Wonderful Tonight stakes her Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe claims

The final day of the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting saw the filly Wonderful Tonight power her way to an impressive success in the Hardwicke Stakes, a Group 2 race run over 2,400 metres (12f), in Britain on Saturday. She’s a daughter of the French stallion Le Havre, who is based at the Haras de Montfort & Préaux (Calvados), where the filly was also bred, and it was the first stepping stone in a season that should take her all the way to the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, the pinnacle of thoroughbred racing, which will be run at ParisLongchamp on 3 October.

Last year, the filly’s trainer, David Menuisier, a Frenchman who learned his craft with Criquette Head before transferring to Britain, chose wisely and entered her in the Group 1 Qatar Prix de Royallieu for fillies and mares. She proved a clear cut winner of the Group 1 Qatar Prix de Royallieu, before following up in the Group 1 Qipco British Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes at Ascot. However, this year, the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is clearly the end goal! David Menuisier said: «She was only 85 per cent fit today, so she will progress. We will choose her next races according to the state of the ground - she likes soft tracks - and the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is the main aim this season. »