A race which has been dominated by the raiding parties of France in recent years, the Group 1 Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes will once again return to French shores after Francois Doumen's four year old, Siyouma, fended off the persistent challenge of Elusive Kate to ensure victory over the Newmarket Rowley Mile course.
Exiting the gates, Elusive Kate stumbled badly, edging left and almost unseating rider William Buick in the initial strides in a move which also resulted in her off-fore shoe coming loose. Unable to stride out in front with her normal exuberance, Elusive Kate was a three-quarter length second-placed finisher in extraordinarily unlucky circumstances which connections believe cost her yet another victory at the highest level.
Whilst Elusive Kate was unlucky, nothing can be taken away from the determined performance of Siyouma who readily held off the late, drifting challenge of the gutsy Elusive Kate to register a three-quarter length victory, her first in Group race company.
Tracking the lead of Mick Channon's Laugh Out Loud, Siyouma was the first to challenge the leader entering the final two furlongs and eased past the three year old as Elusive Kate began to hand away left across the track as she too delivered her challenge. With Elusive Kate straightening up inside the final furlong, Siyouma and Gerald Mosse had already delivered a winning effort powering away for an unassailable three-quarter length victory just one month on from an intriguing fifth-placed finish behind Snow Fairy in the Prix Jean Romanet.
"She has been improving throughout the season and when she ran in the Falmouth Stakes [third-placed] in July she was still quite immature as she didn't run as a three year old" said Doumen, "She has an easy temperament and is very calm. Gerald [Mosse] said she won with something in hand and nobody will be able to criticise his ride today. She could go for the E.P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine in two weeks time"
"She was very well today and she worked very well last week, so we were pretty confident before we came" said the winning pilot, Mosse, "She picked up really well and went to the line with a lot of potential. She is definitely better of a mine, not because she won today, but I have been saying it to her trainer for a long time now"
Sir Henry Cecil's Group 1 Matron Stakes victor, Chachamaidee, was unable to pick up inside the final few furlongs from the tail end of the pack.
2012 Poule d'Essai de Pouliches winner, Beauty Parlour, who was having her first run for Cecil, was also notably disappointing as the strongly fancied 13-8 favourite.
Photo Courtesy of Emma-Louise Kerwin (Goodtosoft.co.uk)