LESTER LOSES OUT
French Derby ends in failure for Piggott and Dettori dream team
DREAMS that legendary jockey Lester Piggott could win a French Derby in his role as part- owner of Rivet were dashed as the colt blew his chance behind impressive victor Brametot.
The William Haggas-trained Rivet, ridden by Frankie Dettori, held an ideal position in the Prix du Jockey Club just behind Aidan O’Brien’s pacemaking outsider Taj Mahal, but he was treading water in the final furlong just as Brametot flew home down the wide outside to beat Waldgeist a short head.
Dettori said: ‘He missed the kick and I chased him to get a position and he locked on and never dropped his head. He was racing with the choke out and when you do that you don’t finish. The petrol ran out.’
Rivet had finished three lengths behind Brametot when third to him in the French 2,000 Guineas. That gap had stretched to almost five lengths yesterday despite hopes he could reverse placings over the two furlong longer distance.
Haggas, who had the slight consolation that he won the Prix Du Gros-Chene with Jim Crowley-ridden Muthmir, said: ‘It was a shame. He has proved he is a good horse, it is just disappointing in a big race when something like that happens.’
If Saturday’s Derby at Epsom produced a head- scratching result with the victory of 40-1 outsider Wings of Eagles, the quality of Jean-Claude Rouget-trained Brametot is hard to question.
While the race did not pan out well for Rivet — who ended up eighth — Brametot also had to overcome an erratic passage. Second last into the home straight, jockey Cristian Demuro was forced to angle into the middle of the track to find a clear run.
Brametot is part- owned by Sheik Joaan Al Thani, who has a replacement for recently retired Hugo Palmer-trained 2016 2,000 Guineas winner Galileo Gold.
Rouget said it was likely that Brametot, the 13-8 favourite, would race in Britain later this year, possibly in the Champion Stakes at Ascot in October, a race the trainer won with Almanzor last season.
Rouget said: ‘At the beginning of the straight I thought we were well beaten. He is a fantastic horse with a big heart. He has speed for a mile but the middle distances are good for him. He could run in England or Ireland later in the year. He will have a quiet summer but I will think about races like the Champion Stakes.’ trio riddenFirst yesterdayhomeby son of Donnacha,the was Aidan Tay in O’Brien Mahal, fourth. Charlie Appleby’s Bay of Poets was seventh with jockey William Buick feeling he did not stay. Appleby could drop the colt back to a mile and run him in the Britannia Handicap at Royal Ascot. ALMANZOR, Rouget-trained winner of the French Derby and English and Irish Champion Stakes, is set to make his belated seasonal debut in the Sky Bet York Stakes on July 29 before a possible return to the Knavesmire for the International Stakes in August.