Diego Velazquez triumphs in the Gr.1 Prix Jacques Le Marois

It was only on Wednesday that Sam Sangster announced the purchase of Diego Velazquez (Frankel), with a place at the National Stud booked for next year. Fast forward four days and the four-year-old became a Gr.1 winner following a pulsating triumph in the Prix Jacques Le Marois over 1600m at Deauville yesterday.

Taken from the European Bloodstock News, 18th August 2025:

The defection of Rosallion due to a bruised foot ensured this €1,000,000 contest had a very open feel to it. The Lion In Winter led the main body of eight runners up the stands’ side rail, shadowed by Dancing Gemini, with the Christophe Soumillon-ridden Diego Velazquez and Go
To First separated from the main bunch in the early stages. With the two groups converging by halfway, Dancing Gemini took over in front around 600m from the finish and soon settled down for a private battle with Diego Velazquez. Few of those further back were able to make any serious gains on the leading pair, as the O’Brien runner gradually got the upper hand until William Buick switched Notable Speech onto the rail inside the final 150m. Last year’s Gr.1 2,000 Guineas winner finished like a hurricane to force a photo, but Diego Velazquez had held on by a head. Dancing Gemini finished three quarters of a length away in third and Docklands was fourth.

Aidan O’Brien’s only previous winner of the Prix Jacques Le Marois was Excelebration in 2012. Coincidentally, he was also ridden by Soumillon, who is now a four-time winner of the race. Speaking to Sky Sports Racing, O’Brien said: “He was always a very good horse; we’re over the moon. We thought this race would suit him, he’s been working brilliantly. I’m so delighted. He’s very tough and genuine; he had very good form at two and three and Christophe gave him a brilliant ride.”

Sam Sangster heads the consortium behind the purchase of Diego Velazquez and he was understandably overjoyed to see his new charge triumph on his first start in his family’s famous colours. He added: “It means a lot, we’re so lucky. MV [Magnier] is one of my oldest friends and when I came to him with the presentation of buying the horse to stand at the National Stud, he was fully supportive. We were lucky to buy him and we’re even luckier now!

"He’s an absolutely gorgeous horse; he’s so tough, so genuine. He’s a phenomenal mover and, to be honest, when he came out of his box, you could already see him at the stallion barn at the National Stud. I’m a little lost for words, but I’m so delighted. He deserved to get that Gr.1 today and I’m just so delighted to be involved with him.”

This might have been a first Gr.1 win for the Epona Bloodstock Ltd-bred Diego Velazquez, but he has enjoyed plenty of success throughout his 11-race career. A 2,400,000gns purchase by MV Magnier and White Birch Farm at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, he initially raced for the Coolmore partners, plus Westerberg and Peter Brant. The winner of his first two starts as a two-year-old, including the Gr.2 Golden Fleece Stakes at Leopardstown, he also won the Gr.3 Meld Stakes and Gr.2 Solonaway Stakes at three and added the Gr.2 Minstrel Stakes to
his collection when dropped to 7f at the Curragh last month.