Stacelita runs in France today.

Stacelita out to stake Arc claims in Prix Vermeille


Preview: France, Sunday 2.40pm BST

Longchamp: Qatar Prix Vermeille (Group 1) 1m4f, 3yo+ fillies and mares

ZARKAVA set the hardest of hard acts to follow, but French racing has found a ready-made replacement for the wonder filly in Stacelita, who headlines Arc trials day at Longchamp seeking to cement her credentials for Flat racing’s European championship.

One weekend on from a Leopardstown tour de force that rocketed Sea The Stars to clear favouritism for the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Stacelita attempts to show she is worthy of following in the footsteps of a different all-time great.

When Zarkava tackled last season’s Prix Vermeille, she did so having posted an imperious success in the Prix de Diane that took her unbeaten record to five races. Stacelita approaches today’s Group 1 showpiece in exactly the same position having so far created exactly the same stunning impression as the Aga Khan’s champion.



However, today is about much more than just the Vermeille, for a glittering card that has played host to the subsequent Arc winner in 11 of the last 13 years also stages two other notable trials for the October spectacular in the shape of the Prix Niel, for three-year-old colts, and the Prix Foy, for older horses.

However, it is the Vermeille and the return of the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained Stacelita that is the afternoon’s most eagerly-awaited treat.


Since making a winning debut at Salon-de-Provence last autumn, the stoutly-bred daughter of Monsun has got better and better, adding to easy spring victories with a six-length front-running win in the Prix Saint-Alary before completing a Group 1 double when powering four lengths clear of stablemate Tamazirte in the French Oaks.

Since dazzling at Chantilly – where officially good to soft ground represented the quickest surface Stacelita has yet to race on – Christophe Lemaire’s mount has been rested in Deauville prior to taking on 12 Vermeille opponents headed by last year’s runner-up Dar Re Mi.

Since being run over by Zarkava, the John Gosden-trained four-year-old has enjoyed her two finest moments courtesy of Group 1 successes in the Audi Pretty Polly Stakes and, most recently, in the Darley Yorkshire Oaks, in which she took the notable scalp of Britain’s top three-year-old filly Sariska. France’s finest now lies in her wait.

Plumania and Board Meeting finished third and fifth to Stacelita in the Diane, but since then their relative superiority was reversed when Board Meeting beat Plumania into third in Deauville’s Prix de Psyche.

Also heading to Longchamp with big Deauville wins behind them are Armure, who took the Prix de Pomone, and Kalla – another of five Monsun fillies in the field – who landed the Prix de Minerve.

What they say:
Alain de Royer-Dupre, trainer of Armure
“We are taking on much better class fillies on this occasion, but she is very courageous and always gives her all. She is very progressive and the firmer ground will not inconvenience her, so she has things in her favour, but it is a Group 1 race of very high quality.”

Simon Marsh, racing manager to Lord Lloyd-Webber, owner of Dar Re Mi
“The filly is fine and has travelled and arrived well. At the beginning of the season, we tried to earmark the Pretty Polly and then the Vermeille with a view to an autumn campaign. John (Gosden) is very pleased with her, but she has got to take on another very good filly. She has beaten one Oaks winner and now weare going to try and beat another. She has never been out of the first three during her racing career and is a gutsy girl.”

Elie Lellouche, trainer of Board Meeting
“I have been very pleased with her since winning the Pysche. She would prefer softer ground, but I think the step up in distance should not be a problem.”

Michel Zerolo, racing manager to Martin Schwarz, owner of Stacelita
“The filly is very well and I think she will get the mile and a half with no problem at all. I think Stacelita will run very well, but the only concern is the lay off of three months. The ground can’tbe used as an excuse as it should be about the same as when she won at Chantilly. She still has to be supplemented into the Arc and a lot hinges on how Sunday goes. She has been down at Deauville for her final preparation and her last important gallop was on September 1 with Christophe Lemaire in the saddle. We have put a leader in so she has something to follow instead of making the running for everyone.”

Gebhard Apelt, racing manager to Baron Georg Von Ullman, owner of Kalla
“I think she would prefer the ground to be softer, but she won the Minerve well. We will be happy if she finishes in the first five.”

The winner fair and Square flung out for having the audacity of beating Stacelita!!

RACE REPLAY

Shocking decision,seemingly she interfered with the 5th place horse..lol

The only interference i saw in the race was the pacemaker making a channel for the runner up!!!

Another one taken from the potential "great" list

had a difficult time watching with "buffering" ? but could not see the problem, bloody French!

Dar Re Mi loses out to Stacelita in inquiry


Report: France, Sunday

Longchamp: Qatar Prix Vermeille (Group 1) (Fillies & Mares)1m4f, 3yo+

DAR RE MI was sensationally disqualified after finishing first past the post from hot favourite Stacelita, who has been promoted to first place in a dramatic running of the Prix Vermeille.

To the shock of Dar Re Mi's connections and supporters, the John Gosden-trained four-year-old was demoted to fifth place by the Longchamp stewards for causing interference to the German filly Soberania as Jimmy Fortune made a move towards the inside rail 300 metres from the finish.

Dar Re Mi carries the colours of Lord Lloyd-Webber, whose wife Madeleine was fuming after the daughter of Singspiel was thrown out - a decision that would not have happened in Britain, where interference rules are less stringent if the winner scores on merit.

"I don't understand what's happened," she said. "Maybe we won't come to France anymore. Why would anyone want to bring their top horses to race in France when you know this sort of thing can happen on a whim?

"She won fair and square - everyone knows that. The best filly won, and it's a great shame as her records will now forever say that she didn't win the Vermeille.

"If it had beena touch and go decision, I would have been the first to sportingly say, 'fair enough', but it wasn't. There is an appeal process, but we're in France. Of course, I suppose we'll race here again."

The decision to demote Dar Re Mi in favour of Stacelita, who was not inconvenienced in any way, means that Stacelita extended her unbeaten record to six in the most controversial of circumstances.

Dar Re Mi collared Stacelita, inside the final furlong to complete whatwould have been a Group 1 hat-trick after her victories in the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh and the Yorkshire Oaks.

Connections of Stacelita will need to stump up €100,000 to supplement and Paddy Power have pushed the filly out to 8-1 (from 9-2) for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. In reverse, William Hill and Victor Chandler make Dar Re Mi a 10-1 chance following her performance in this course-and-distance trial, in which she finished second to the great Zarkava last year before her Arc success.

Stacelita was sent off even-money favourite for the Vermeille on the pari-mutuel, with Dar Re Mi a 2-1 chance.

With her Jean-Claude Rouget stablemate Volver doing the honours up front as pacemaker, Stacelita travelled kindly on the inner just off the pace, with Dar Re Mi tracking her.

Christophe Lemaire looked to have got first run as he sent Stacelita up the rail after turning for home where Volver left a handy gap.

It was noticeable how the pacemaker's rider Ioritz Mendizabal looked over his shoulder as he moved off the rail, where the gap appeared for Volver's stablemate, so impressive in the Prix de Diane on her most recent outing.

However, as the favourite struck for home, Fortune slipped Dar Re Mi through the same gap and then pulled his mount outside Stacelita to claim the race in the final 100 yards - before the stewards had their say.

SkyBet and Paddy Power announced that they would pay out on the 'double' result, treating bets on both Stacelita and Dar Re Mi as winners.

With Gosden at Keeneland, the Lloyd-Webbers' racing manager Simon Marsh said before Dar Re Mi was disqualified: "The Arc is something we'll have to consider very seriously. She's has done nothing wrong this year."

Rouget seemed satisfied with Stacelita's performance, even before she was handed the Group 1 victory, which completed her own treble at the top level.

"It was a good race," said Rouget, who did not attend the post-race awards ceremony.

He added: "She hasn't run since June and it's always difficult to beat a good four-year-old. She will run in the Arc and we will supplement her a week before the race. Today was not the target."

After the disqualification, Plumania was promoted to second with Board Meeting third

Dave,just start then pause let it run for a while and start again,will run perfect.

Wow!!!!!!!!

I'm no expert but the decision to uphold that objection seems A LOT harsh!!!!

What ca we learn from this decision....Never take on any unbeaten french fillies IN FRANCE!!!!

What a pity as now the best filly on the day did not win!!

Scotia, now we are left with RA, Sea th Stars, Goldikova and Zenyatta.....

One boy against thre girls.....

Must say the ladies are well supported Tommy, but they say a good colt will always beat a good filly so all I can do is "Sea The Stars"

Could be a great ARC.

Dar Ri Me has beaten two of your great horses in her last two runs,and could end up being Sea the Stars main rival in the ARC,but after yesterday and what her owner said,she will probably not take her place..

Morning Hibby, you might have a point beating both Stracelita and Sariska, hoewever at this stage 5 wins from 13, 2 group one wins, should have been 3?
just over half a million pounds in stakes, and no run in the ARC? maybe in the next great horse list? not this year

Would have done the same. Dar Re Mi So la Te Do, Go and get the froggies Lord Andrew.

Racing Post

Dar Re Mi connections confirm appeal plan


LORD and Lady Lloyd-Webber are to fight the Longchamp stewards' controversial decision to take the Qatar Prix Vermeille away from their star filly Da Re Mi.

They remain upset the Yorkshire Oaks winner was demoted to fifth place in Sunday's Group 1, having passed the post a short-neck in front of Stacelita, and will attempt to get the verdict overturned.

Dar Re Mi was stood down as she was found to have interfered with Soberania, causing the German challenger to lose fourth place in a manoeuvre which earned jockey Jimmy Fortune a two-day ban.

Lady Lloyd-Webber admitted to being "pissed off" at the time and though trainer John Gosden is at the sales in Keeneland, his wife Rachel Hood said: "There will be an appeal.

"Lord Lloyd-Webber has instructed that there will be an appeal and we are ascertaining the procedure. It was a very shocking decision and it is very unfortunate - we are very disappointed to be put in this position."