'I will remember that forever' - Breeders' Cup on the radar after Ramatuelle denies Kinross in the Prix de la Foret

The Christopher Head-trained Ramatuelle came to the Prix de la Foret as a Breeders' Cup Mile aspirant. She left not only victorious, but perhaps as the one to beat.

That is perhaps a bold statement given the 2,000 Guineas and Sussex Stakes winner Notable Speech still heads the ante-post market from Coronation, Falmouth and Matron Stakes winner Porta Fortuna, but this was an emphatic display of speed on soft ground from a filly who, with the autumn in mind, has been rested through those summer battles. 

The trainer's father Freddy Head won the Breeders' Cup Mile three times with Goldikova but only once in three attempts did she win the Foret. 

The family knows how to go from Paris to the Breeders' Cup winner's circle better than anyone, but even they were blown away by what they saw here as the 1,000 Guineas and Coronation Stakes third proved the 107-day break had done her the world of good by romping home three lengths clear of Kinross. 

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The seven-year-old has finished fourth, first and second in the previous three runnings of the race and only been beaten a grand total of four and a half lengths across those three previous renewals.

Aurelien Lemaitre celebrates his win in the Prix de la ForetCredit: Edward Whitaker

"I will remember that forever," said Ramatuelle's delighted and impressed trainer. "I love this filly, she's been courageous all season and she's just coming back today – it's mad.

"It was time she deserved a crown because she's such a queen. Aurelien [Lemaitre] is such a good jockey and he gave her a great ride."

Ramatuelle is now a similar price for the Mile that she was for the Foret, with the 5-1 winner here now ranging from 4-1 to 6-1 for the Del Mar contest with British bookmakers.

Arc-winning trainer Ralph Beckett said of the runner-up: "What a horse he is, he's just been beaten by a very good filly and it's as simple as that. We'll see how he comes out of it and he could go for the Champions Sprint if the ground's on his side.

"He had good horses in behind him with Tribalist et cetera, it was perhaps a deeper Foret than we're used to."

Read more:

'Extraordinary' Bluestocking justifies €120,000 supplement and late gamble to claim a memorable Arc success 

Perfect swansong for Makarova as 'forgotten mare' goes out on a high in Abbaye dominated by British sprinters 

Mighty upset to start Arc day as outsider Vertical Blue beats odds-on stablemate Zarigana 

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