Karl Burke reckoned that Laurens “wasn't a cheap horse” but she looked a bargain at Newmarket yesterday.
The filly, who cost £220,000, paid that back and more when she won the Group One bet365 Fillies' Mile.
PJ McDonald, who won the Scottish Grand National on Hot Weld in 2007 before switching to riding on the Flat, had Laurens up with the pace and appeared to be clear until September came with a late run for Seamie Heffernan.
The pair passed the line together and then McDonald had the agonising wait until the judge called that Laurens had won by a nose at which point he almost exploded from the saddle as he punched the air.
“I'm 35 years of age now and the relief when that number got called out was amazing,” McDonald said. “If I never do anything else in my career, I've ridden a Group One winner."
This was a second Group One winner of the season for Burke, following Unfortunately’s victory in the Prix Morny at Deauville in August. And while bookmakers were offering ante-post prices about Laurens for either the 1000 Guineas or Oaks, Burke's thoughts were already across the Channel.
"That was good, apart from the last two strides,” he said. “She's a very high-class filly and we always knew that. When we step up to a mile and a quarter or even further next year, she's going to be very good. I would rather her take a lead as she's such a green filly, but we had to let her use her stride.
"I think the ideal race for her next year would be the Prix de Diane [at Chantilly] over a mile and a quarter, but we'll sit and think. We've got plenty of time."
Time and the weather have been against Henry Candy for much of the year with Limato. Seemingly every time he had the horse ready, the weather went against him.
Limato won the July Cup and the Prix de la Forêt last year but had not won again in five subsequent starts. Now with ground conditions in his favour Limato gave his best to win the Group Two Godolphin Stud And Stable Staff Awards Challenge Stakes by three and a half lengths.
Declan Carroll admits that he has still to get over the loss of Santry, a two-year-old who looked a star in the making, earlier in the summer but he may have found a replacement after Abel Handy won the Group Three Academy Godolphin Beacon Project Cornwallis Stakes.
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