THE TRAINER-OWNER combination of Andre Fabre and Daniel, Wildenstein finally broke their duck in the Prix du Jockey-Club (French derby) with the impressive Peintre Celebre at Chantilly yesterday.
Peintre Celebre, a son of Nureyev, turned in a high-class performance under Olivier Peslier, despite being stuck initially in the middle of the pack.
The two British visitors, Perfect Paradigm and Voyagers Quest, formed the leading duo with Arabian King, Fragrant Mix and Speedfriend, all prominent.
Turning into the straight, Voyagers Quest set the pace but soon flattened out as the Aga Khan's Astarabad burst clear under Gerald Mosse 300 yards out.
However, Astarabad may have gone too soon and he was cut down to size by the impressive burst of Peintre Celebre approaching the furlong marker.
Peslier's mount, having gone the shortest way round, saw daylight at the right time and powered two lengths clear of the running-on Oscar. Astarabad was a further half length back but well clear of the fourth, Fragrant Mix, one of three Fabre runners, who was beaten six-and-a-half lengths.
Peintre Celebre's good performance was in marked contrast to that of Dermot Weld's supplemented Casey Tibbs, who made no show and finished 11th in a field of 14.
Winning trainer Fabre said afterwards: "We have always thought a lot of this colt (Peintre Celebre) and have planned his racing programme accordingly after he won at Deauville last August.
"Being by Nureyev, there were no guarantees that he would stay, but pedigrees are one thing and the racetrack is another. As for the colt's future programme, I will have to speak to Monsieur Wildenstein first in order to determine where he gods next."
Alec Wildenstein, Daniel's son, hinted that the Irish Derby, on June 29th could be one possible future objective for the winner.
The high-flying Peslier's win was his first in the Prlx du Jockey, which also ended a frustrating sequence for Fabre in the French classic. Prior to yesterday, he had run 12 horses in the race, with his best efforts being the five second-placed finishes of Trempolino, Dancehall, Subotica, Marignan and Dernier Empereur.
The win also means that Fabre has won every French Group One race with the exception of the Prix Maurice de Gheest and Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp.
It was a miserable day for the visitors as, Casey Tibbs apart, Voyagers Quest and Perfect Paradigm faded to seventh and 13th respectively.
Earlier, Entrepreneur fans were licking their lips as the hot Epsom Derby favourite had his form boosted by Starborough's win in the Group One Prix Jean Prat. David Loder's 2,000 Guineas fourth made all under Frankie Dettori to beat his compatriot Mamalik by a length and a half.
Clive Britain's Neddle Gun (Brett Doyle) ran a good race to be third to Oxalagu in the Group Two Grosser Preis der Wirtschaft (1m 3f) at Baden Baden.
Mick Channon's unraced juvenile filly Supermodel (Doyle) filled an identical position on the Badener Jugend Preis (5f).
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