Jannah Rose takes her third Group race of the season

Al Shira'aa Farms' star filly Jannah Rose (Frankel) came back from her midsummer break to win the 10-furlong Gr.2 Prix Alec Head yesterday (the re-named Prix de la Nonette).

Taken from the Thoroughbred Daily News, 21st August 2023, by Tom Frary:

Off since her run in the Gr.1 Prix de Diane, the Gr.1 Prix Saint-Alary and Gr.3 Prix Vanteaux winner was restrained to race in third by Christophe Soumillon off the moderate pace set by the G2 Ribblesdale Stakes runner-up and Gr.1 Irish Oaks fourth Lumiere Rock. Having to fight once she had got alongside that rival 150 metres from the finish, the 7-10 favourite proved equal to the task to prevail by a head.

The win had added import, with Carlos Laffon-Parias being the husband of Alec Head's granddaughter Patricia. He said: "It's nice to see her leave her race in the Prix de Diane behind. This is the real Jannah Rose. She was a bit fresh and the pace wasn't quick enough for her, but in the end she quickened well and won safely I think. I will keep her over that trip and she will come back in the [Gr.1] Prix de l'Opera."

For Soumillon, success in the race in its inaugural new guise also carried significant weight:  "It's a great honour as, to me, the Head family are one of the biggest families in the racing world so to win the first one under Alec Head's name means a lot to me. We had a lot of good wins together and while it's always sad to lose somebody so important in racing, he has left a great legacy."