Fellowes looks to Luther for French Classic compensation

Just three weeks on from the biggest disappointment of his career, Charlie Fellowes is back in France aiming to win the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly with Luther.

Fellowes has still to make the breakthrough as a Classic-winning trainer – indeed he has yet to win any Group One – but he thought his wait was over when Shes Perfect crossed the line first in the French 1000 Guineas, only to lose the race in the stewards’ room.

That experience has not put him off though, and in French 2000 Guineas fourth Luther he has another serious chance of Classic glory.

“We’re back for more punishment in France, but delighted to be there,” said Fellowes.

“I think he looked like he was crying out for 10 furlongs last time out and he’s got a lot of tactical speed. But he looks like he has the stamina as well, which he should do on his pedigree.

“I would have loved a draw on the inside (rather than 13) which would have just made the first half of the race more straightforward, but we’re drawn where we are and we will see what happens.

“I think he’s improving and fresh and well and ready to go again. I hope we haven’t seen the best of him, but I know he will need to have improved again to take a hand and everything suggests he should do.”

The favourite is Aidan O’Brien’s Camille Pissarro, third to stablemate Henri Matisse in the French Guineas.

“He’s by Wootton Bassett which will be a big plus to get a trip as they are quick but they stay. But he’s out of a Pivotal mare so there’s a lot of speed there. Some of them do stay so hopefully he will,” said O’Brien.

“He’s been very good since the French Guineas and his work has been great and everything has been perfect since. We were very happy with that run, it was a strongly-run race and he looked to be coming home very well.

“Christophe (Soumillon, who rode in the Guineas) would know what it takes to win the French Derby as well as anybody and he felt this would really suit him.

“The French Guineas was very strongly run and if there was a question of stamina, it would have shown there. Christophe could be right, it will be exciting.”

O’Brien also runs Trinity College and added: “The trip should be fine for him and we always felt that he had class.”

John and Thady Gosden run two in a race the yard won with Mishriff in 2020, with French 2000 Guineas sixth Detain (Soumillon) and the unexposed Bowmark (Tom Marquand) lining up.

“We had the Prix du Jockey Club in mind for him, but thought the Poulains would be a good place to go with him first. There was a lot of pace in the race early that day. Coming out of that we thought the French Derby would suit him,” said Thady Gosden of Detain.

“He’s a half-brother to Arrest who was second in the Leger. Arrest was by Frankel so they are different types physically, but you wouldn’t expect stamina would be an issue.

“Bowmark won well first time out at the end of last year and then ran a very good race in the Burradon at Newcastle against much more experienced horses, but he showed what we thought of him.

“We then went back to York for a novice to try to learn a little bit and he’s come out of that very well.

“Of course this is a big jump up into a French Derby, but he’s in very good order and deserves to be there.”

Andre Fabre supplemented Sosie to win the Prix d’Ispahan last weekend for the Wertheimer brothers and is hoping to repeat the trick with the once-raced Sinileo.

“Sinileo won very easily, impressing Maxime Guyon. He will find himself in a large field, we remain a bit in the unknown and he may lack experience,” said Pierre-Yves Bureau, racing manager to the owners.

“On his debut he showed a very nice acceleration and has come out of the race well since. The race seems open, we are taking our chance! As far as I can remember, supplementing one of our representatives in the Jockey Club is not frequent.”

Fabre also runs Cualificar, the mount of William Buick.