Dubai: Cirrus des Aigles swooped on the joint-richest turf race in the world — the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic — and trainer Corrine Barande-Barbe, who turned 54 on Friday, extended her birthday celebrations by becoming the first woman trainer to win a thoroughbred race on Dubai World Cup night.
It was a great achievement by Barande-Barbe as Olivier Peslier grabbed the spare ride with both hands to score a great win, as Cirrus des Aigles staved off a late run by Aidan O'Brien's St Nicholas Abbey.
Marco Botti's Jakkalberry under Ryan Moore finished third, while O'Brien's second runner, Treasure Beach, was a creditable fourth.
Cirrus des Aigles had won the £1.3-million (Dh7.41 million) Champion Stakes, Britain's richest ever race, when he finished ahead of So You Think — who went in the $10 million Dubai World Cup to be run later in the night — over 2,000 metres at Ascot last year.
And last night he confirmed his class when he out-duelled St Nicholas Abbey, ridden by Aidan's son Joseph.
Right advice
Peslier got to ride Cirrus des Aigles as Christophe Soumillon, who was on Cirrus in his previous three races including the Champion Stakes win, was booked to ride Mike de Kock's Bold Silvano, but the former seemed to have got the right advice from the latter.
French trainer Barande-Barbe is only the second lady trainer to win on Dubai World Cup night, after Gillian Duffield saddled four winners between 2004 and 2007 in the Purebred Arabians' Dubai Kahayla Classic.
Elation
"This is such a fantastic horse and it has handed me a delayed birthday present," an elated Barande-Barbe said.
"He's Prince Charming just like in the fairytales. He always does his best and tries his best and he progresses all the time. He is the most important thing in my life.
"Coming towards the end of the race there was not much pace, but somehow he just held on.
"I was very confident in his ability to win this heading into the race. I would like to win the Champion Stakes again and maybe after I would like to come back and win here again. Maybe he will go to Longchamp because he loves Longchamp too. Thank you for welcoming him."
Peslier, who had featured in seven previous DDF races without a win, said: "The last 100 metres I thought the horse on the outside [St Nicholas Abbey] was coming to catch me.
Tough horse
"But the trainer, owner and past jockeys have told me don't worry, the horse is very tough, he's very hard and always a very competitive horse.
"I think I let him go a little bit early, but in the end he managed to hang in there.
"He's a super gelding and he has a long way to go. He has made the whole of France so happy.
"I'm very happy for the horse. Today I'm very happy to ride this horse for first time and for the team and the jockey who rode before, thank you."
— With additional inputs from Alaric Gomes, Senior Reporter, and Ashley Hammond, Staff Reporter
