Frankel's Candelari upstages Gr.1 Vicomtesse Vigier rivals

Francis Graffard trainee Candelari charted an unusual route to Sunday's Gr,1 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier at ParisLongchamp and bounced back in style to become Frankel's 36th Gr.1 winner.

Taken from the Thoroughbred Daily News, 26th May 2025, by Sean Cronin:

Not only exacting revenge on his Gr.3 Prix Barbeville conquerors Presage Nocturne and Internaute here, he also put a veritable who's-who of the stayer's division to the sword with a dominant display in this newly elevated fifteen and a half-furlong marathon. He had previously collected atrio of Chantilly all-weather contests over thirteen and a half furlongs when making up for lost time over the winter.

The 4-1 chance employed patient tactics from the outset and settled off the pace in a midfield fifth until well beyond halfway. Making relentless headway in the straight, he bounded to the front passing the quarter-mile marker and drew clear under continued rousting in the closing stages to comfortably outpoint last year's winner Sevenna's Knight by three and a half lengths.

Barbeville winner Presage Nocturne was denied by a head in a bobbing finish for second. "It's a bit crazy for me to be riding a horse such as this, but everything went perfectly during the race and I'm very grateful," reflected winning jockey Clement Lecoeuvre. "It=s my first Group 1 win in France, it was a beautiful moment crossing the line and I really enjoyed it. I was still travelling very nicely behind the pace when everyone else made their attacks in the straight. He's gaining more and more experience race by race and he won like a champion."

Candelari, the 36th Group 1 winner for his sire from the family of sires Wixim and Run Softly, is the latest of nine foals and one of five scorers for his dam. The April-foaled homebred bay is a half-brother to dual Group 2-winning Gr.1 Prix Vermeille runner-up Candarliya, multiple stakes-winning Gr.2 Belmont Gold Cup Invitational, Gr.3 Stars And Stripes Stakes and Gr.3 Sycamore Stakes placegetter Canessar and Listed Prix Scaramouche victrix Canndera. Candarliya is the dam of Gr.3 Prix de la Grotte victrix Candala (Frankel), last week's Listed Prix Finlande winner Cankoura and the dual stakes-placed Carini.