3 minute read

In a great result for trainer Karl Burke and rider P J McDonald, Laurens won the Diane, the French Oaks for 2018.

The track originally listed as ‘soft’ was drying out and this may have affected some of the runners but not the winner. In a close finish she was a neck ahead of Andre Fabre’s Musis Amica with Mikael Barzalona and Homerique 12/1 for Graffard-Boudot a nose away.

O’Brien’s Happily was fourth by a head, followed home by Head’s With You.

It’s four weeks to the Irish Oaks where many of these may meet again.

Earlier the Bertrand de Breuil saw Hunaina edge out the odds-on favourite Trais Fleuris who seemed very one-paced in the closing stages.

The other odds-on runner Wind Chimes in the Moussac could only finish third, with the win going to the promising Wusool who won by 3 ½ lengths to Magic Bibou.

Fabre and Barzalona had better luck in the G2 Prix Hocquart when Nocturnal Fox at 15’1 gained the victory from Al Malhouf with Hush Writer third.

Interesting to note that there was a horse called Pharrell running in this and at Churchill Downs a filly called Farrell in the Fleur de Lis. She came second and he came fourth in their respective races. Both are 3yos. Could be interesting to see how the caller would handle it if they both finished up in the same race!