Cirrus des Aigles Romps to Prix Dollar Win

As a showdown with Europe’s 2011 Horse of the Year Frankel looms later this month, European champion Cirrus des Aigles uncoiled an explosive turn of foot a quarter-mile out at Longchamp Oct. 6 and romped to an easy nine-length win in the Qatar Prix Dollar (Fr-II).

The Prix Dollar was the highlight among four group II races at the Parisian racecourse to kick off Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) weekend.

In a prelude to his clash with the world’s top-ranked racehorse, Cirrus des Aigles improved on his runner-up finish in the Prix Dollar last season. Fourth early, he unleashed a powerful surge under Olivier Peslier and drew off to score over Hunter's Light. The win marked the second in the race for Cirrus des Aigles, who captured the 2010 edition.

Cirrus des Aigles followed his second-place finish in last year’s Prix Dollar with a win over So You Think and Snow Fairy in the inaugural QIPCO Champion Stakes (Eng-I) and landed the Cartier Award as Europe’s champion older male. He is expected to face Frankel Oct. 20 at Ascot.

Trainer Corrine Barande-Barbe, who trains Cirrus des Aigles for Jean-Claude-Alain Dupouy, was delighted after the Prix Dollar and confident about the impending date with Frankel.

“It’s not very often that you get to see exactly what you want, but that is what happened today,” she told England’s Press Association. “I think that was a very good workout for Ascot and the Champion Stakes.”

Cirrus des Aigles is currently the world’s second-ranked racehorse on the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities’ World Thoroughbred Rankings. He had not raced since a runner-up finish in the May 27 Prix d’Ispahan (Fr-gr.I) at Longchamp but was fit and fresh for the Prix Dollar.

The 5-year-old gelding covered the about 1 1/4 mile (1,950 meters) test in 2:07.95 on turf rated as very soft to improve to three wins from five starts this year. He enjoyed group I victories earlier this season in the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic (UAE-I) by a neck March 30 at Meydan Racecourse, and Prix Ganay-Prix Air Mauritius (Fr-I) in an eight-length romp April 29 at Longchamp. He subsequently finished second to Golden Lilac in the Prix d’Ispahan on May 27 at Longchamp but returned a positive test for a massive dose of an undisclosed prohibited anti-inflammatory medication. A police investigation is ongoing.

The only graded or group winner by deceased sire Even Top, Cirrus des Aigles is out of the unraced Septieme Ciel mare Taille de Guepe. His overall record stands at 16 wins, 16 seconds, and five thirds from 44 lifetime starts.