ENGLISH TEXTS ered their own high-flying performance. If the Prix de la Grotte had teased a duel between Zarigana and Shes Perfect, the 2025 Poule d’ Essai des Pouliches( Gr. 1) was the full symphony— played, however, on an entirely different tempo.
This time, pace from the get-go Gone was the waiting game of the trial. Here, the tempo was strong from the start. Shes Perfect, already forward-going in the Grotte, left nothing to chance. She set a solid, linear, unrelenting pace— covering the first 1,200 meters in 1:11.48. A steady base, a relentless rhythm designed to drain anyone lacking the stamina for the finish.
Zarigana, a weapon for every scenario But behind this controlled train, one filly bided her time, removed from the frenzy. Zarigana waited quietly, 14.5 meters off the lead with 400 meters to go. What’ s remarkable is her versatility: capable of cutting loose over 600 meters in a slow-paced race like the Grotte( where she clocked a 10.57-second section), she can also finish hard in a race run at full tilt.
And what a finish! The final 600 meters in 32.50 seconds. Between the 400m and 200m poles, she shattered the speedometers with a 10.47-second burst, hitting a maximum speed of 70.49 km / h(!). Then she rolled to the line with her final 400 meters in 21.78. Zarigana clinched victory in a dramatic finish, setting a new race record in 1:34.05.
Shes Perfect: the honor of heart and head It would be unfair to overlook Shes Perfect’ s performance. Flawless in her role as pacesetter, she shouldered the responsibility from the break to the home straight. She found one rival sharper on the day but only yielded at the wire. The duel between these two is far from over— but it’ s already etched into the season.
Mandanaba, eyes on the Diane Behind them, Mandanaba ran with credit. Patient early, she finished strongly and earned a well-deserved third place in a steadily run race. This long-striding filly, built for a sustained drive, looks ideally suited to the Prix de Diane, where the 2,100 meters at Chantilly will suit her perfectly.
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By Serge Okey
FASHION AND HORSE RACING
A LUXURIOUS COUPLE
Fashion and horse racing share a common horizon: stepping onto the podium. But these two worlds are in fact much more closely connected. The Prix de Diane Longines( Gr. 1), a symbol of this romance, is merely the tree hiding a forest of obvious or subtle affinities. It’ s often unclear whether fashion is chasing after the races, or the races are chasing fashion.
“ The horse itself is trendy” Chantilly becomes the fashion capital for a single Sunday. Another fireworks display of outfits and refinement is expected around the 176 th Prix de Diane, mid- June. At this peak of elegance, fashion takes over horse racing- but the reverse is just as true. Vogue, June 2022: under a radiant peacock headpiece, Queen Beyoncé proudly poses on a horse in a burst of red and black. The iconic magazine adds:“ While fashion frequently draws inspiration from the equestrian world, this year it’ s the horse itself that’ s on trend.”
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