Bago, Divine Proportions Win for Niarchos Family

Arc winner Bago became a group I winner for the third consecutive year when he burst through a hole near the rail with a furlong left to win the Prix Ganay (Fr-I) at Longchamp on Sunday.

The Niarchos Family's 4-year-old son of Nashwan bided his time for jockey Thierry Gillet to reach the leaders and finished best by a short neck over Pride, who was disqualified to sixth place for interference. Reefscape was placed second and the Aidan O'Brien-trained Ace was awarded third.

The Jonathan Pease-trained Bago was the first to record the Arc-Ganay double since Helisso in 1996.

"He is not a downhill racer so we lost our place a little and I couldn't make my challenge on the outside," Gillet told the Racing Post after making it back-to-back victories in the Ganay. "In the end, going up the rail was an advantage as the ground was better. The colt needed to compete again."

A delighted Niarchos racing manager Alan Cooper said Bago would be prepared for the Tattersalls Gold Cup (Ire-I) at The Curragh next month, where he could face a field that includes Grey Swallow, Azamour, Alexander Goldrun, Warrsan and Doyen.

Bago capped a grand day for the Niarchos Family, which earlier won the Prix de la Grotte (Fr-III) with leading French One Thousand Guineas (Fr-I) contender Divine Proportions.

The undefeated filly won the one-mile event in fine style for her sixth straight victory, five against group company. Pascal Bary trains the daughter of Kingmambo who was ridden to victory by Christophe Lemaire.

Divine Proportions, who rallied to get the lead 150 yards out, defeated Ysoldina by two lengths. Gorella was a neck farther behind in third.