Breeders’ Cup Mile-Bound Diego Velazquez First Jacques Le Marois Winner In The Sangster Silks

[Wandering Eyes]

Providing instant justification and reward for the investment by Sam Sangster Bloodstock, Ballydoyle's Diego Velazquez (Frankel) edged a thriller from Notable Speech (Dubawi) in Sunday's G1 The Aga Khan Studs Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville. Always happy playing a prominent role away from the fence under Christophe Soumillon, the 12-1 shot stayed on to wrest the lead from Dancing Gemini (Camelot) with 100 metres remaining and found the line a head in front of the fast-closing Godolphin runner, who was 3/4 of a length behind in third.

“He's always been a very good horse and I'm so delighted for Sam–he's a very legitimate and desirable horse,” Aidan O'Brien said of the first winner of the race in the famed Sangster silks and his stable's second after Excelebration in 2012. “He's a great model and is determined and very brave–he had won a good trial in the Minstrel and they have to be sharp for that as it's a fast seven and he had just come right in the last week. It's incredible to have a horse running in those colours, I was just thinking of that when I saw him going down, we never thought we'd have a horse running in them. We thought he'd be a horse for the Keeneland Mile and then the Breeders' Cup Mile.”

Sam Sangster has the GI Breeders' Cup Mile in mind for the winner. “That meant a lot–we were so lucky that Aidan and Coolmore let us into the horse and we are even luckier now that's for sure,” he said. “He's an absolute gorgeous horse, a phenomenal mover and so tough. We could see him at the National Stud just by the way he walked out of his box. I thought he'd run a big race and he had been working very well and he's shown how good he really is. We were thinking of going to Keeneland, as that's a 'Win and You're In' for the Breeders' Cup, but we'll let Aidan decide.”

Charlie Appleby also has the Breeders' Cup in mind for the runner-up, who was flashing home and could be considered unlucky having had to wait for his run. “The important thing is that he is back to his best,” he said. “William had to wait and when you do that you are either hero or villain, but that is how he has to be ridden. He could go for the Woodbine Mile and then the Breeders' Cup Mile.”

 

Diego Velazquez just holds on from the fast-finishing Notable Speech to land the Group One @AgaKhanStuds Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville! pic.twitter.com/xrHpn7ahoE

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) August 17, 2025

 

 

Sunday, Deauville, France
THE AGA KHAN STUDS PRIX JACQUES LE MAROIS-G1, €1,000,000, Deauville, 8-17, 3yo/up, c/f, 8fT, 1:34.23, g/s.
1–DIEGO VELAZQUEZ (IRE), 131, c, 4, by Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Sweepstake (Ire) (SW & GSP-Eng & US, $114,162), by Acclamation (GB)
2nd Dam: Dust Flicker (GB), by Suave Dancer
3rd Dam: Galaxie Dust, by Blushing Groom (Fr)
TDN Rising Star. 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. (2,400,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-Sam Sangster; B-Epona Bloodstock Ltd; T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Cristophe Soumillon. €571,400. Lifetime Record: MGSW-Ire, 11-6-0-0, €930,815. *1/2 to Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}), G1SW-Fr, MGSW & G1SP-Ire, GSW-Eng & UAE, GISP-USA, $2,814,348; and Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}), MGSW & G1SP-Eng & Ire, G1SP-Fr, GSP-Bhr, $906,260. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Notable Speech (GB), 131, c, 4, Dubawi (Ire)–Swift Rose (Ire), by Invincible Spirit (Ire). TDN Rising Star. O/B-Godolphin; T-Charlie Appleby. €228,600.
3–Dancing Gemini (Ire), 131, c, 4, Camelot (GB)–Lady Adelaide (Ire), by Australia (GB). O/B-Fishdance Ltd; T-Roger Teal. €114,300.
Margins: HD, 3/4, NK. Odds: 12.00, 5.00, 6.80.
Also Ran: Docklands (GB), Go To First (Jpn), Ascoli Piceno (Jpn), Zabiari (GB), Ridari (Fr), King Gold (Fr), The Lion In Winter (Ire). Scratched: Rosallion (Ire).

The post Breeders’ Cup Mile-Bound Diego Velazquez First Jacques Le Marois Winner In The Sangster Silks appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

View the full article