Certainty is a rarity at the highest level of the sport, but if Aidan O’Brien is the acknowledged master of the English Derby then Jean-Claude Rouget is quickly outstriing his rivals. himself when it comes to the modern version of the sport. Racing Club Prix du (G1).
A show!
Ace Impact passes to win Group 1 Prix du Jockey Club as he knocks out favorite Big Rock at @fgchantilly… pic.twitter.com/leWB3si4L4
– At races (@AtTheRaces) June 4, 2023
Ace became his sixth winner on June 4 — matching Pascal Bary and Alain de Royer-Dupre — and his fifth in eight years.
Driver Cristian Demuro is known for his patience, but Ace Impact supporters must have been nervous during the first two-thirds of the race as the son of Mr. crackman sit for a long time while loving big rock Master everything from the front under Aurelien Lemaitre.
Half-way looked like Big Rock’s race was going to lose, but when Demuro questioned it, Ace Impact produced a continuous burst of acceleration that left his opponent heart-broken, the gap at the 3 1/2 mark. length, with another 2 1/2 back winner Poule d’Essai des Poulains (G1) Marhaba Ya Sanafi in third place.
During his post-race press conference, Rouget noticed the similarity between his horse’s victory and the way Auguste Rodin ran down king of steel at Epsom 24 hours ago.
However, stepping out to receive the trophy in front of the stands, Rouget was almost still struggling to understand how Ace Impact surpassed his opponents.
Rouget said: “These are special moments because every time it’s with a challenger; I’ve never won the Jockey Club with a favorite and before that they were like a fourth chance. or fifth in the race.
“Every time they beat the favorites. I never look too much in prep races, just to get to 100% for the big day. Then you need the horse to show up, and the con This horse certainly did.
“Unfortunately for his entourage, he came across our horse, it seemed special.”
Ace Impact has just started his fourth season, his coach shelved plans for him to debut in Deauville last summer, he wants to wait for the calmer waters of Cagnes-sur-Mer in January, before coming here via Bordeaux and then the same course and race listed distances as sottsass won before his Jockey Club win in 2019.
“He hasn’t been challenged much before,” said Rouget. “He performed at the Prix de Suresnes but that doesn’t tell you much, it was more of a test of time. When he won his first at Cagnes, I think I saw something. That’s in him; he’s got another step ahead of others and a huge engine. He’s got the gas and the will to win.”
Rouget confessed he didn’t know where the winner would go next as Ace Impact extended his unbeaten run to 4—Coral knocked him out 5-1 (from 20) for Eclipse Stakes (G1) and 10-1 (from 33) for Eclipse Stakes (G1) and 10-1 (from 33) for the Arc de Triomphe (G1).
Frankie Dettori’s last ride in the Jockey Club ended with Epictetus complete an honors fifth, while Continue placed eighth for Ryan Moore and Aidan O’Brien.
Only a month left until his first Classic win with Blue Rose Cen trainer Christopher Head showed off his ability to face the other side of the coin after Big Rock’s chances of winning disappeared during the period: 11.19 seconds Ace Impact won between the two and one markers point.
Head said: “He’s really improved with every job and every race and I’m very pleased with his performance. “If you take the partial times and put them side by side (with his previous runs), he’s still improving. What he did there was probably the best race of his life. that.
“I’m very happy and we met a very good horse [Ace Impact]. He may be the only horse that can beat us.”
Leaving the winners’ press conference, Rouget quipped: “Don’t worry, I have nothing for the Prix de Diane (G1).”
