VADENI HAS GOT TOO MUCH VA VA VOOM...
VADENI roasted Les Rosbifs to end 62 years of Coral-Eclipse hurt for France.
But the Sandown Park stewards took exception to jockey Christophe Soumillon’s post-race celebrations, which nearly put two beaten rivals over the rail – and earned the Belgian superstar a 12-day suspension.
No horse had crossed the English Channel to capture the 10-furlong clash of the generations since Javelot in 1960.
But trainer Jean-Claude Rouget got Vadeni’s owner, the Aga Khan, to part with £50,000 to supplement the Prix de Jockey Club victor for the Eclipse.
And the investment paid a rich dividend as Churchill’s son came from last to first to defy the five-year-old Mishriff by a neck – Irish 2,000 Guineas hero Native Trail was a head back in third, half a length in front of Lord North – to land the £448,363.43 first prize.
“If I decide to supplement a horse like that, it is my basic instinct – so I was confident,” said France’s champion trainer, who will prepare Vadeni for the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on September 10.
“I have 43 years of training in my legs so I know it is difficult to win the Eclipse – for me it was a real challenge.
“I told Christophe (below) to come as late as possible. The last 180 metres of the race were difficult – they were strong Group 1 horses – but he had a good neck at the end.”
Vadeni’s feat was not lost on Soumillon, who stood in the irons and punched the air.
But the winning rider failed to spot Native Trail and Lord North on his inside, and the interference caused to his two rivals landed the Belgian before the officials.
Upon learning his fate, Soumillon reflected: “It’s a bit rough, but you have to accept the sentence. “I don’t know the track and when I passed the line I didn’t see William [Buick, on Native Trail] and James [Doyle, aboard Lord North] inside.
“The horse shifted in to take the corner and unfortunately both of them had to check their horses quite badly.
“That’s my fault. My job is to go from Point A to Point B as fast as possible, but unfortunately after Point B I wasn’t good today!
“I just hope the horses I put in trouble will go back sound – that’s the most important thing.”