Group I racing overnight in France and Germany overnight produced a tragedy and an Arc upset.
The Group I Prix du Moulin de Longhamp (1600m) featured a hot favourite in the Godolphin bred and owned Dubawi colt Coroebus, who had won the Group I Newmarket 2000 Guineas and Royal Ascot St James’s Palace Stakes this year.
Sadly it was to be his last race, the star colt falling and suffering a fatal breakdown with two furlongs to run with his rider William Buick emerging unhurt from the accident, although stood down from later rides that day.
Victory went to five year-old Lope de Vega mare Dreamloper, who scored by five and a half lengths. Trained by Ed Walker, Dreamloper has had a great year winning the Group I Prix d’Ispahan back in May.
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“Dreamloper is an eight, nine-furlong horse and we'd love to have a go at the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf, which I think is nine and a half furlongs this year,” said Ed Walker.
Dreamloper is the best of two winners from stakes-winning Teofilo mare Livia’s Dream and is one of 15 Group I winners for her sire Lope de Vega, who got his century of stakes-winners last week.
The Group I Grosser Preis Von Baden (2400m) featured a clash between last year’s Arc winner Torquator Tasso and German Derby winner Sammarco, but both were outpointed in a stirring finish by four year-old stallion Mendocino.
Mendocino had never won a stakes race, but was second in a Group I last year to star mare Alpinista and holds an entry for this year’s Arc.
He becomes the 25th stakes-winner for his sire Alderflug, also the sire of Torquator Tasso, who remains on track to defend his Arc title with Frankie Dettori expected to keep the ride despite incurring a 14 day ban for overuse of the whip.
