THE GLOBE may be more of a village these days, but there were still some sore local noses at Newmarket yesterday when French favourite Natagora landed the 1,000 Guineas to add to Aidan O'Brien's victory with Henrythenavigator in Saturday's 2,000.
It was just the fourth time both opening classics of the British flat season have gone for export, and rubbing salt into the wound yesterday were any number of hard-luck stories from the horses in behind.
Nahoodh, in particular, looked desperately unfortunate in having her run cut off at a vital stage. And Jim Bolger is another trainer who possibly wouldn't have minded a stronger pace in the fillies classic as Saoirse Abu ran on strongly for third, while her stable companion Lush Lashes came from the rear of the field to be a nearest-at-finish sixth.
All of which didn't matter a jot to Christophe Lemaire as the French jockey gave Natagora a perfectly judged, front-running ride to hold off Spacious by a narrow margin and provide trainer Pascal Bary with revenge for the unlucky defeat of Six Perfections in the race five years ago.
"She's a fantastic filly, very brave, never pulls and moves well," Bary said. "This has been the dream since last October. She took the lead at the start and went to the end."
Jim Bolger reported: "I am very happy with the horses and both Kevin (Manning) and Kerrin (McEvoy) said they wanted further."
With Andre Fabre's Getaway earlier looking a potential middle-distance superstar in the Group Two Jockey Club Stakes, there was a Gallic flavour on the Rowley Mile yesterday to compare with a resolutely Irish vibe on Saturday.
Natagora pulled off the all-the-way classic success that just eluded New Approach in the 2,000, but, although the favourite lost his unbeaten record, it was Henrythenavigator who managed to become the 12th Irish-trained winner of the Guineas in its 200th renewal.
John Murtagh timed his challenge so well that only a nose separated the Irish pair at the line, and soon after it New Approach was actually back in front of his rival.
That was enough for bookmakers to make the pair 7 to 4 joint favourites for the Irish 2,000 Guineas, which is the nominated target for both later in the month.
Saturday's classic was a perfect result at the start of Murtagh's association with the hugely powerful Coolmore team, and O'Brien praised his new jockey.
"Johnny was masterful. He rode him like he couldn't get beat. He was super confident and very strong. We're lucky to have him," said O'Brien, who was saddling a fifth Guineas winner, all of whom had their first starts of a classic season in Newmarket.
New Approach's trainer Bolger is already looking forward to a Curragh re-match, though.
"This will probably go down as one of the best 2,000 Guineas. We'll have another day," he declared.
There was a sting in the tail for both Murtagh and New Approach's rider Kevin Manning, who got two and five-day suspensions respectively from the Newmarket stewards for their use of the whip.
However, nothing could spoil the day for Murtagh who was adding to a Group One victory for O'Brien the previous weekend on Duke Of Marmalade in the Prix Ganay.
"When you ride good horses like that it's an easy job and I'm very lucky," said the Meath man, who also landed the Guineas six years ago for O'Brien on Rock Of Gibraltar.
"This horse is a top-class miler with a turn of foot. I thought I would win by a neck but he just got tired in the last hundred yards."
Probably not as tired as the Newmarket locals are of overseas challengers right now.
