Kelina caps red letter day for Frankel in the Fôret

Frankel filly Kelina put the cherry on the cake for her sire, who both directly and indirectly dominated the Arc, with a half-length victory in the Gr.1 Prix de Fôret at ParisLongchamp yesterday.

Taken from the Thoroughbred Daily News, 2nd October 2023, by Tom Frary:

Unplaced twice since beating the G1 Prix du Moulin heroine Sauterne (Kingman) decisively in the G.2 Prix de Sandringham at Chantilly in June, the 28-1 shot was always travelling strongly for Maxime Guyon under cover in touch with the pace. Going better than Kinross once the cut-away was reached in the straight, the Carlos Laffon-Parias-trained homebred drifted
across that 3-5 favourite's path 100 metres from the post which was to prompt an inquiry and some anxious moments for connections. The stewards ultimately ruled that Kelina was value for the win and allowed her to keep it. The Gr.1 Haydock Sprint Cup runner-up Shouldvebeenaring  a length and a quarter away in third.

Kelina, who had approached this card's Gr.1 Prix Marcel Boussac in 2022 unbeaten and started as the 21-10 favourite only to finish last, had looked to have put that behind her when
fourth in the Gr.1 Poule d=Essai des Pouliches and when dominant in the Sandringham. Beating only one home in Deauville's Gr.1 Prix Rothschild and in the Gr.1 Prix du Moulin here last month, she was one that it seemed safe to ignore on the pari-mutuel but Laffon-Parias had always retained faith.

"Last time she came here she didn't run well and we didn't really have an explanation, but the soft ground was obviously not in her favour," he said. "She didn't have a very good draw in the Moulin and we were going to wait with her, but she just didn't run her race and that allowed her to come here today fresh. We had been invited to go to Keeneland for the Queen Elizabeth II and accepted, but then we made the decision to come here so we are pleased we made the right choice."

Racing manager Pierre-Yves Bureau stated that the Gr.1 Breeders' Cup Mile is on the minds of her owner-breeders. "She could tackle that and she could stay in training next year if Carlos thinks she is in the right condition."