Angel delight for Ralph Beckett at Saint-Cloud
Dettori and Angel Bleu land Criterium International prize
Ralph Beckett's Angel Bleu won the Group One Criterium International under Frankie Dettori at Saint-Cloud on Saturday.
The Dark Angel colt made it back-to-back victories in France after success in the Group One Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at ParisLongchamp earlier this month.
Stepping up to a mile for the first time in his career, Angel Bleu was ridden patiently out the back by Dettori before delivering his challenge out wide.
The pair hit the front with a furlong to go and just held off the challenge of Aidan O'Brien's Prix de Chenes winner Ancient Rome, who started 11/8 favourite despite being third in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere.
Cedric Rossi's Purplepay came home third, with another British runner, George Boughey's filly Oscula, finishing last of the seven runners.
"He's an extraordinarily tough horse," Beckett said afterwards. "I thought it was a terrific effort today.
"To come back less than three weeks after [the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere] and do it again. He really was the best again today. There were no real excuses for anybody."
Betfair trimmed Angel Bleu's odds for next year's 2000 Guineas at Newmarket to 12/1 from 16s, although Beckett feels the French equivalent - the Poule d'Essai des Poulains - could be more likely.
On Angel Bleu's plans for next year, Beckett added: "We'll worry about that next year and just enjoy today. We'll get the celebrating out the way first.
"I'd say if I was going to bet on it that we'd be back her for the Poulains [French Guineas]."
El of a result for Ferguson
James Ferguson landed his first ever Group One when El Bodegon won the Criterium de Saint-Cloud under Ioritz Mendizabel over 1m2f.
The son of Kodiac had secured Group Three success at Chantilly last time out and he stepped up another level to make most of the running in winning the top-level prize.
Goldspur applied pace pressure but he couldn't go with the winner and it was left to the staying-on Stone Age to chase him home.
Betfair and Paddy Power both went 25/1 from 66s about the winner for the Cazoo Derby.
On claiming his first Group One success, Ferguson said: “It’s pretty incredible. I couldn’t quite work out what was going on with a furlong to go.
“We love the horse and from his last win we planned that this was where we were going to go, but being in front with a furlong to go wasn’t really part of my planning.
“I thought he’d have to work very hard, (but) he’s obviously improved with every run and he takes travelling very well.
“I thought he was given a great ride and he relaxed very well in front. Credit to the team at home and the owners. To be able to reward them like this is mega.
“His full-brother Best Solution got better with age. This horse is not overly big, but there’s a lot of presence about him and it’s very exciting to wonder what we might have next year as I can’t see him not improving.
“He’s going to carry a Group One penalty now and I think you have to aim high with a horse like this.”
