Frankel’s Candelari Upstages Vicomtesse Vigier Rivals

[Wandering Eyes]

Francis Graffard trainee Candelari (Frankel) charted an unusual route to Sunday's G1 Prix Vicomtesse Vigier at ParisLongchamp and bounced back in style, with Clement Lecoeuvre replacing the suspended Mickael Barzalona in the saddle, after suffering a first reversal in last month's G3 Prix Barbeville.

Not only exacting revenge on his Barbeville conquerors Presage Nocturne (Wootton Bassett) and Internaute (Sea The Stars) 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 15 1/2-furlong marathon. He had previously collected a trio of Chantilly all-weather contests over 13 1/2 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 (Camelot) by 3 1/2 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 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 wins a first Group One in the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier! pic.twitter.com/uyGWhr0mCj

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 25, 2025

Pedigree Notes
Candelari, the 36th Group 1 winner for his sire from the family of sires Wixim (Diesis) and Run Softly (Deputy Minister), 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 G1 Prix Vermeille runner-up Candarliya (Dalakhani), multiple stakes-winning GII Belmont Gold Cup Invitational, GIII Stars And Stripes Stakes and GIII Sycamore Stakes placegetter Canessar (Kendargent) and Listed Prix Scaramouche victrix Canndera (Dalakhani). Candarliya is the dam of G3 Prix de la Grotte victrix Candala (Frankel), last week's Listed Prix Finlande winner Cankoura (Persian King) and the dual stakes-placed Carini (Siyouni).

Sunday, ParisLongchamp, France
PRIX VICOMTESSE VIGIER-G1, €400,000, ParisLongchamp, 5-25, 4yo/up, 15 1/2fT, 3:19.09, g/s.
1–CANDELARI (IRE), 126, g, 4, by Frankel (GB)
                1st Dam: Candara (Fr), by Barathea (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Caribbeandriftwood, by Woodman
                3rd Dam: Drifting, by Lyphard
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN; 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O/B-Aga Khan Studs; T-Francis-Henri Graffard; J-Clement Lecoeuvre. €228,560. Lifetime Record: 5-4-0-1, €284,060. *1/2 to Candarliya (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}), MGSW & G1SP-Fr, $534,189; Canessar (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}), MSW-US, SW & MGSP-Fr, $370,123; and Canndera (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}), SW-Fr. Werk Nick Rating: D+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Sevenna's Knight (Ire), 126, h, 5, Camelot (GB)–Sevenna (Fr), by Galileo (Ire). O-OTI Management Pty Ltd; B-Gestut Ammerland; T-Andre Fabre. €91,440.
3–Presage Nocturne (Ire), 126, h, 5, Wootton Bassett (GB)–Kyurem (Ire), by Verglas (Ire). 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK TYPE. (€70,000 Ylg '21 ARQAUG; €12,000 HRA '23 ARQFEB; €400,000 RNA HRA '24 ARQARC). O-Paolo Zambelli, Carlo Pellegatti, Mme Rana Khaddam, Aksam Khaddam, Alessandro Botti & Giuseppe Botti; B-Haras de la Perelle; T-Alessandro & Giuseppe Botti. €45,720.
Margins: 3HF, HD, 3. Odds: 4.00, 3.40, 6.80.
Also Ran: Trueshan (Fr), Double Major (Ire), Internaute (Ire), Passion And Glory (Ire), Rouge Sellier (Ire), Dubai Future (GB).

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